Sozar Subari

Sozar Subari (Georgian: სოზარ სუბარი) (born November 4, 1964) is a Georgian politician, journalist, and human rights activist. He was formerly Georgia's Minister for IDPs, Accommodation and Refugees from 26 July 26 to 13 June 2018. He served as a Public Defender (Ombudsman) of Georgia from 2004 to 2009 and Minister of Corrections and Legal Assistance from 2012 to 2014.

This article is about Georgian Politician. For the Bronze Age land, see Subartu.
Sozar Subari
სოზარ სუბარი
Adviser to the Prime Minister of Georgia on topics of regional development
Assumed office
8 September 2019
Prime MinisterGiorgi Gakharia
In office
2018 – 3 September 2019
Prime MinisterMamuka Bakhtadze
Minister of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Accommodation and Refugees
In office
26 July 2014 – 13 June 2018
PresidentGiorgi Margvelashvili
Prime MinisterIrakli Garibashvili
Giorgi Kvirikashvili
Preceded byDavid Darakhvelidze
Succeeded byDavit Sergeenko
Minister of Corrections
In office
25 October 2012 – 22 July 2014
PresidentMikheil Saakashvili
Giorgi Margvelashvili
Prime MinisterBidzina Ivanishvili
Irakli Garibashvili
Preceded byGiorgi Tugushi
Succeeded byGiorgi Mgebrishvili
Public Defender of Georgia
In office
16 September 2004 – 16 September 2009
Preceded byNana Devdariani
Temur Lomsadze (acting)
Succeeded byGiorgi Tughushi
Member of the political council of Georgian Dream
Personal details
Born (1964-11-04) November 4, 1964
Chuberi, Georgian SSR, Soviet Union
(now Tbilisi, Georgia)
NationalityGeorgian
Political partyGeorgian Dream (2012-present)
Georgia Party (2010-2012)
Free Democrats (2009-2010)
Professionhistorian, theologian, journalist

Subari was born as Sozar Subeliani (სოზარ სუბელიანი) in the highland village Chuberi (Svaneti). He studied history at the Tbilisi State University and theology at the Tbilisi Theological Academy. After a service as a deacon from 1989 to 1991, he took part in the armed conflict in Abkhazia in 1993. He was involved with the influential NGO Liberty Institute from 2000 to 2004. He also worked as a journalist, including being a correspondent for Radio Liberty, and an editor of the Tbilisi-based Kavkasioni newspaper.

Subari was elected as Public Defender of Georgia by the Parliament of Georgia for five years term in 2004. During his tenure, the ombudsman's role in Georgian society increased. Subari emerged as a prominent critic of the Mikheil Saakashvili government.[1] During the anti-government rally of 2007, he claimed to have been repeatedly beaten by the police, and stated, "Georgia is now the same as Lukashenko’s Belarus."[2] Later he claimed that the police breakdown was masterminded at a secret meeting of top military and police officials and that Georgia's Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili had ordered police to beat protesters, "mainly in the kidneys and the stomach".[3] On their part, the government officials have accused Subari of "politicizing" the Public Defender’s Office and turning into an opposition politician.[4]

Subari's term expired on September 16, 2009. He was succeeded by Giorgi Tughushi, a ruling United National Movement party nominee, who was approved by the parliament in July 2009.[5] Subari himself joined the opposition Alliance for Georgia led by Georgia's former UN envoy, Irakli Alasania.[6] In 2012, Subari became a member of the Georgian Dream party, founded by the billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, whose coalition won the October 1, 2012 parliamentary election. After this, Subari became Minister of Corrections and Legal Assistance in the cabinet of Bidzina Ivanishvili on October 25, 2012, succeeding Giorgi Tughushi, his onetime successor as an ombudsman.[7]

References
  1. Georgia's Counterweight to Power. The Washington Post. July 24, 2009
  2. Chivers, C. J. (2007-11-08). "Georgian Leader Imposes a State of Emergency". The New York Times. Retrieved 2007-11-08.
  3. Public Defender Levels New Accusation over November 7. Civil Georgia. December 30, 2008
  4. Saakashvili: Public Defender’s Office Politicized. Civil Georgia. January 23, 2009
  5. Incoming Public Defender Speaks of Priorities. Civil Georgia. 31 July 2009
  6. Ex-Public Defender Subari Joins Alliance for Georgia. Civil Georgia. 22 September 2009
  7. Ivanishvili Confirmed as Prime Minister. Civil Georgia. October 25, 2012.
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