21 years passed after the death of Georgian National Hero Merab Kostava. He was one of the leaders of the National-Liberation movement in Georgia together with the first president of Georgia Zviad Gamsakhurdia.
For anti-Soviet activities Kostava was jailed for several times by the soviet government. In 1988 Kostava co-founded the Society of Saint Ilia the Righteous and was one of the leaders of this political pro-independence organization. From 1988-1989 he was one of the organizers and active participants of most peaceful pro-independence political actions within the Georgian SSR.
On October 13, 1989, Merab Kostava died in car accident in circumstances that are still unclear. He is buried at Mtatsminda Pantheon of Prominent Public Figur
