– “Police were beating me from every side, and then I passed out.”
– “After my friend shielded me with his body, they broke his arm over their knees.”
– “I started bleeding. Blood was gushing forth. And he gave me a sock, telling me to wipe it off.”
– “When I realized that he was about to kill me, I yelled that Sozar Subari is the godfather of my brother.”
This is how the employees of the Special Tasks Department of the Interior Ministry cracked down on peaceful demonstrators.
– “Then they threatened us with weapons.”
– “Threatening to rape us, saying just like this: We’ll f… you.”
– “They threatened to rape us with batons and even physically, literally.”
Citizens expose torture and inhuman treatment by the Interior Ministry.
– “This equals torture. The law says that this is ill-treatment.”
Avtandil Titvinidze, participant of the pro-European protest rally, victim: This video shows that there’s nothing wrong with me. And then, as I passed the Parliament building, someone decided to play baseball. He jumped over screaming, “Kill them all!” This nose injury was so painful that I can’t even remember what happened next, including the pain. My arm is swollen, my leg and shoulder are in cuts and scratches, and my neck is stiff. My nose is broken, and I have a concussion.
Avtandil Titvinidze, an activist from Gori, was detained at about 6:30 AM, on his way home from a pro-European rally on Rustaveli Avenue, Tbilisi. Continuous rallies started in Georgia’s capital and cities on November 28, after Georgian Dream-appointed Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced that negotiations on Georgia’s EU accession were postponed until 2028. After being detained, Avtandil Titvinidze was brutally beaten by the officers of the Special Tasks Department (STD) of the Interior Ministry.
Avtandil Titvinidze: They punched me, and I started bleeding. Blood was gushing forth. I practically passed out. They put me in line to this route taxicab. They were literally packing it with people. And then this officer, he gave me a sock, telling me to wipe off the blood. Then he gave me a sweater to wipe it off. They shoved me in and took my phone away. I keep saying that I was lucky to be one of the last in line. Everyone who opened the door of that van got punched in the face first. They took away my phone, and I still don’t know where it is. I bled for six and a half hours. Whenever I requested a doctor, it turned out that there was none around.
As Avtandil Titvinidze recalls, he was told at a police station that he was detained for violating Article 173 of the Code of Administrative Offences, i.e. non-compliance with an order of a law-enforcement officer.
Avtandil Titvinidze: This Article 173 applies to what I did not do. And that man who detained me claimed that he saw me curse and use both hands. I’ve cursed maybe a couple of times in my life, but definitely not at police officers!
At the dawn of November 29, Giorgi Chutkerashvili, 29, a participant of the pro-European protest rally, was detained on Rustaveli Avenue. Giorgi recalls in detail how brutally he was dealt with by STD officers.
Giorgi Chutkerashvili, participant of the pro-European protest rally, victim: I was walking at a normal pace. There were, of course, neck-slapping and kicking. I told them, “Stop. I’m going with you. You don’t have to do that.” But, for some reason, they threw me down and carried me aloft. As we passed the cordon, one of the special forces officers took off my sneakers. I thought they were going to put me in a patrol car to take to the station. But they threw me into some punitive route taxicab where I was severely beaten by at least 10 officers. They took turns as they got tired. The rest of the special forces watched this spectacle from the outside, smirking at this abuse of human beings. Then they threatened me with a weapon. One of them grabbed a gun and pointed it at me. Several times, as I covered my face with my hands, they would kick me in the exposed side of the liver. At some point, I got spasms, I collapsed and could barely exhale. When I exhaled for the second time, this special forces officer leaned over me, brought his masked face close to mine and—I will never forget it—asked me: “Are you OK?” I said yes. And immediately he punched me in the nose. And they were marauding at that, taking away my jacket, shoes, and probably backpack that they have not returned to me. Then, in about 30 minutes after giving us a brutal beating, they told us we would be transferred into a patrol car. I got off the vehicle, with no jacket or shoes, and soaking wet, because it was already raining. So, I’m walking, beaten up, toward this patrol car about 50 meters away. As I walked this distance, every special forces officer on my way punched me and kicked me. One of them even said, “He still looks healthy—nothing works on him!” And another one replied, “Let’s break his finger.” And they started breaking my arm, forget about the finger!
Gia Jvarsheishvili, defender of the rights of persons with disabilities, was detained during the crackdown on the November pro-European rally. According to him, he was beaten, physically abused, and threatened with rape by STD officers.
Gia Jvarsheishvili, participant of the pro-European protest rally, victim: When special forces surrounded, I didn’t resist. I didn’t even think they would arrest me, so I threw my hands up. And then, after a few steps, psychological pressure started: “We’ll rape you! We’ll f… you!” Just like that. Then they tried to kick us in the head with those army boots. I lay there on the right side, in the embryo pose, so to speak, as much as possible, with my hands covering my head. They beat me mercilessly. First thing after shoving me inside the vehicle, they robbed me. One them told his colleague to take away my phone, so he just shoved his hand in my pocked, my front pocket, and took my phone, wallet, valuables. They robbed me.
Davit Abuladze, 22, and his two friends were attending the pro-European rally as he was detained by STD officers. The officers ignored the young man’s attempts to signal that he had a hearing and speaking problem. They beat him severely and then took away his phone.
Irma Lomidze, Davit Abuladze’s mother: After being detained, he gestured to them that he couldn’t hear. They wouldn’t believe him. My son gestured that he could write to them. But they said no and started beating him. He has a concussion, a broken nose, pelvic injuries, bruises, and everything that this medical form reads. Bruises all over his face, injured arms and legs.
Lazare Komakhidze was detained during the crackdown on the pro-European rally, on November 29. He was beaten, suffering a concussion. According to Lazare, STD officers, besides physically assaulting him, also robber him of his computer.
Lazare Komakhidze, participant of the pro-European protest rally, victim: This robocop crossed the street and started punching me and then kicking me. All I could do was cover my face with my hands, because that’s where they were aiming. And the boots they wear are no regular shoes—they are made of some solid material. They kicked me right here. It started with punches and continued with kicking. When I realized that he was about to kill me, I yelled that Sozar Subari is the godfather of my brother. In response, one of the STD officers pulled this robocop aside and asked me: “If he’s your relative, what are you doing here?” My answer was that this is a Russian government that I oppose with peaceful protest. What saved me was a person whose name I could mention. But many didn’t have anyone to mention, so were beaten severely. And all this took place in a space where people could not resist. I guess they had a direct order to aim at the head and inflict as much damage as possible.
Davit Janiashvili was detained during the crackdown on the December 1 pro-European rally on Rustaveli. He recalls how STD officers led him behind the police cordon and started beating him brutally, cracking his skull. Now he is being treated for a concussion.
Davit Janiashvili, participant of the pro-European protest rally, victim: After we passed the ranks of special forces, away from the eyes of media outlets, they carried me aloft. And everyone on either side of this corridor punched me and kicked me, some in the legs and arms, others in the face. But that was nothing compared to what happened next. They threw me in this microbus and beat me for at least 30 minutes. What happened before that was just a slap on the wrist. They punched me right in the nose and jaw, in the most vulnerable areas, also kicking me in the ribs. That seemed not enough, so they switched to kicking me in the legs, in the muscles, so I couldn’t walk afterward. This continued until we reached the minivan that took us to the station. Everyone we met on our way punched us in the face. And we were barefoot, cold, soaking wet, and they doused us with water inside. They stripped me, took away my shoes, saying that they were too nice. They took everything I had in my bag. They stole my bag. And they stole a jacket from the person who was with me.
Many activists subjected to beating say that, while being physically assaulted, they were also threatened with rape. Was this the case with you, too?
Davit Janiashvili: Yes! I’ve no clue why they felt this sexual urge toward us. They threatened to rape us with batons and even physically, literally. I don’t want to get into the details… It’s sort of… But forget about raping, they threatened to kill us.
Lazare Maghhlakelidze, participant of the pro-European protest rally, victim: After they cracked down on the rally in the morning of December 2, people dispersed and started leaving the territory of Rustaveli Avenue. Like the rest of demonstrators, I was about to head home. And, all of a sudden, robocops broke through their barriers and grabbed everyone they could grab, including me.
In a conversation with us, Lazare Maghhlakelidze, 20, recalls being beaten and robbed by STD officers after being detained at the rally.
Lazare Maghhlakelidze, participant of the pro-European protest rally, victim: They used pepper spray, and I fell down right away, covering my head. Several men surrounded and kicked me a few times, but nothing big. In a matter of seconds, they emptied my pockets, including my wallet with cards, my phone, and then they tried to remove my backpack. But, because I was on the ground, they couldn’t. So they just tore it off me. Then two men grabbed me by the arms and took me to their base with cars. It started with every special forces officer whoever felt like it punching me. Then they covered me with their raincoat, two men held me by the arms, and they started punching me in the face. I don’t know how long it lasted. I passed out at some point. When I came to, I tried to remove the raincoat, so they beat me again. In about 30 seconds, five special forces officers approached us and turned the light off in the minibus with tinted windows where I was. And they continued beating me in the dark. I passed out after a kick to the head. All kinds of curses and abuse themed around universal topics like manhood, patriotism, etc. And threats to rape me with batons, shoving them up my a…, because “that’s the way you like it,” they added. Lots of humiliation. Compared to others, I got off easy, just a concussion, a broken nose, and injuries here and there. My jaw hurts, and my tooth is broken. But that’s nothing.
This video material clearly shows the brutal assault of STD officers on Zviad Maisashvili, 23, a participant of the pro-European rally.
Zviad Maisashvili, participant of the pro-European protest rally, victim: At first, I didn’t realize that it was a policeman. But, after he started toward me, I knew he was a cop. He was wearing a mask. He rushed toward me, punched me out of the blue, and I collapsed. Suddenly, I’m surrounded by police officers kicking me from all sides. And then I passed out. What happened next is in that video circulating around. I don’t remember. I was unconscious. Later I learned from my brother that one police officer threw me down, trying to save me, but other cops turned against him, and he passed out, too. Eventually, I came to in an ambulance. I have a concussion, multiple fractures in the nasal bridge. I visited my doctor today. They removed my cast, but there is a risk in case I hurt my nose again…. It takes a lot of care to make sure it heals properly. I’ve never cursed at police and never fired anything. But they attacked me purposefully, targeting the facial area for some reason. That must be something new. It used to be different. This time, everyone is injured in the head. I was lucky not to be on the list of those detained. Actor Giorgi Bakhutashvili saved me by lifting me and putting me in an ambulance. They called an ambulance, and he carried me to the vehicle.
Ioseb Chanadiri, Alexandre Tirkia’s uncle: It must have been around 3:30 AM. That’s when I got home…. And then grandma called saying, “Turn the TV on, Alexi is live, he’s bleeding. They put him in an ambulance.” Of course, we immediately called 122. We were told that Alexi was in Ingorokva Clinic. On our way there, we spoke with him. He said he was all right, asked us to call grandma and tell her that he was OK. Just a skull fracture, he said. He cried and laughed at the same time, telling us some jokes. When we arrived, I asked the doctor if he would need a plastic surgery. The doctor was surprised: “Plastic surgery is immaterial right now. What matters is to save Alexi’s life.” I want to thank the demonstrators, those young people who transported Alexi to the ambulance on time. The doctor told us: “They brought him to the clinic in the nick of time. His injuries were so severe that, otherwise, he would’ve died in the ambulance.”
Alexandre Tirkia, 22, is still in critical condition. His emigrant parents returned to Georgia on December 5, though they were unable to speak with us.
Ioseb Chanadiri, Alexandre Tirkia’s uncle: His condition is the same, serious but stable. He has serious skull injuries, a fractured bone near the brow, foreign objects and pieces of bones removed. His cuts are left open. His brain, due to the injuries, is swollen. He’s in an induced coma. Now it’s up to Alexi to make it.
Trauma doctor Vato Gvazava was detained during the crackdown on the December 2 pro-European rally. He recalls being severely beaten by STD officers.
Vato Gvazava, participant of the pro-European protest rally, victim: They threw me down, and the first thing I remember is a kick in the face. Then they pulled me up, punching me in either side. They dragged me to this black car and shoved me in. One of them kept saying, “Don’t hit them like that—we’re still on camera.” But, after they threw me in the vehicle, they continued beating me. I had bandages, betadine bottles, first-aid stuff, painkillers, etc. in my pocket. So this officer grabbed my pocket and asked, “You were firing pyrotechnics at me?” “What pyrotechnics?” I asked. “I’m a doctor, head of traumatology.” He grabbed me, all beaten and bruised, pulled me, and led me out, saying, “Boss, this guy is some kind of doctor.” I will not repeat the exact words he used all the while. This boss got in the vehicle and started beating me…. Then he threw in the corner, and now others, like three of them, took over. And this friend of mine, sitting next to me, he shielded me with his body. But they grabbed him and broke his arm over their knees. After surgery, he’s still in critical condition. Besides many injuries, he has a broken arm. After this episode blew over, they took everything away from us, including my phone, car keys, and ripped off my cross. I had another cross on my neck. But they couldn’t remove it. They kept trying. I said, “Leave the cross at least. Are you crazy?” Crazy? And that’s when they hit me in the head with something. But that’s not all. Their boss said, “Get his hands off his face. Straighten him up.” So they did. They twisted my arms and hit me in the stomach. I passed out. Then they threw me out of the car and lead me through this corridor. These savages standing on either side and punching and kicking you, hitting you with batons, whatever they are holding in their hands. And you path through them. Then they tied my hands with a rope behind my back and pushed me into another car. Inside, one of the police officers pinned me with his ankle, and then I passed out again. I have a concussion. I have all kinds of cuts and sores inside my mouth. It’s been like five days now, but fragments of tissue keep coming from my nose. I have nasal bridge fractures, leg injuries from when they made me stand and beat me. I also have a hematoma in the thigh area. My shoulder is dislocated and badly injured.
Beaten severely by Interior Ministry officers, the pro-European rallies’ participants tell identical stories. In particular, group violence was employed, and everyone was aiming at victims’ faces, verbally abusing them, humiliating them, and threatening with sexual violence. Nona Kurdovanidze, Chair of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA), says that this is a crime committed by the state, and it qualifies as torture and inhuman treatment. The GYLA plans to file a lawsuit with the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
Nona Kurdovanidze, GYLA Chair: The scope and forms of violations quite possibly equal crimes against humanity within the framework of international law.
Can you recall similar cases in The Hague Court, such as examples of other countries, if there have been lawsuits, and how they ended?
Nona Kurdovanidze: There have been similar cases that are still under review. One such case involves Venezuela, there are also international assessments on the cases of Ukraine and Belarus, claiming that these facts equal crimes against humanity. In the case of Georgia, the whole picture must be taken into account, along with the relevant processes and evidence. All this must be analyzed, assessed, and justice must be administered on behalf of the victims.
Public Defender Levan Ioseliani states that, from November 28 to December 5, his office visited 260 persons detained for participating in pro-European rallies, of whom 188 complained about improper treatment from law enforcements.
Levan Ioseliani, Public Defender: When people to be detained are treated in a way that we’ve seen, and given that the people we visited in hospitals are severely beaten, this equals torture. The law says that this is ill-treatment. Consequently, each case must be investigated effectively, and those who committed these offenses must be brought to justice.
According to Deputy Interior Minister Alexandre Darakhvelidze, investigating possible offenses by law enforcers falls under the preview of the Special Investigation Service. And investigations are already on.
You are expected to help with investigations, providing relevant materials, identifying particular persons, etc. What kind of information has the Special Investigation Service requested from you? Have you disclosed the identity of particular police officers that may be implicated in violence?
Alexandre Darakhvelidze, Deputy Interior Minister: I am not authorized to talk about the case materials investigated by the Special Investigation Service. And I don’t have this information. But the service is informed about possible offenses against any person detained who has injuries or complaints. This is required by the law, and detention centers observe this rule duly. Every injury that detainees may have is recorded in line with Istanbul Convention Protocol. This documentation is compiled and sent to the Special Investigation Service, which then decides whether or not to launch an investigation, request particular documents, etc. When legal documentation is requested—like court decisions, for example—we provide it to the Special Investigation Service.
The Rule of Law Center is an NGO monitoring the performance of law enforcements, including the Special Investigation Service. The organization’s leader, Londa Toloraia, used to work as state inspector probing into possible offenses by law enforcers.
Londa Toloraia, Head of the Rule of Law Center: I am convinced that not a single police officer will report based on a request from the Special Investigation Service. When I was there, we, unfortunately, had this problem. Our unit was led at the time by our supervising prosecutor. And every time I suggested that we subpoena police officers, forcing them to come to the courtroom, he was personally against it. So I have no doubt that he will do the same this time as well—he will be against subpoenaing police officers who refuse to be interrogated. And I am convinced that the Interior Ministry provides no information on who is behind these robocops. I am also convinced that the Prosecutor’s Office files no relevant mediations in court to collect evidence that may become crucial, maybe not today but tomorrow, when we will have truly independent investigative bodies, so that we can bring these perpetrators to justice. And this is what this service should be saying now.
The President’s Administration has been unsuccessful in setting a meeting and interviewing the head of the Special Investigation Service. The service would not respond to Studio Monitor’s questions either. Tens of participants of the pro-European rallies testify to inhuman treatment and torture by Interior Ministry officers. They request punishment for violent police officers. But, instead of investigating crimes, the prime minister thanked these officers.
Irakli Kobakhidze, Prime Minister: I would like to comment on yesterday’s events in Tbilisi. First, I want to thank the Interior Ministry, the Interior Minister, Mr. Vakhtang Gomelauri, and each police officer. Despite the most ferocious collective violence carried out yesterday by violent groups and their foreign instructors, the police forces, adhering to standards higher than those found in America and Europe, successfully defended the state from yet another attempt to cripple the constitutional order.
Pro-European protest rallies have been held on a daily basis since November 28. Besides physical violence, the Georgian Dream government uses water cannons and various gasses against demonstrations, which is absolutely unacceptable according to medical doctors.
Giorgi Kamkamidze, allergist/immunologist: What we call tear gas, is not a gas in reality. It is a powder that is either dissolved in a liquid or spread in its powdered form. By diluting it in water, we increase the concentration of this substance that penetrates the human system through inhaling or through suffusing clothes. When misused, high concentrations of this substance may cause burns, lung swelling, and ultimately lead to death. This may inflict major harm on peaceful protesters. And there are insubordinate groups, and a crackdown ensues. It is in fact a crime. In this case, the Health Ministry is obligated to have worked with law enforcements since day one. The use of this substance must stop immediately, because law enforcements don’t know how to use it, or it is misused on purpose. Of course, its composition must be known to the Center for Disease Control. What else is the center’s duty?
The Center for Disease Control and the Health Ministry would not answer Studio Monitor’s questions. The head of the STD denies use of chemicals in raids against the rallies.
Zviad Kharazishvili, STD Head: They come out and scream about disproportionate force. What disproportionate force are you talking about? You cannot handle pepper spray! Nothing of this kind was used.
So no pepper and water, no chemicals and water were used?
Zviad Kharazishvili: For your information, if we use chemicals, there will be no one left. We never used anything of the kind.
As a result of crackdowns on continuous week-long protest rallies, tens of Georgian citizens have been injured. Human rights defenders speak of facts of torture and inhuman treatment against them. According to EU representatives and the US Administration, they are considering sanctioning everyone participating in the violence against peaceful demonstrators in Georgia. Videos depicting beating and torture against inmates in Georgia’s prisons were published on September 18, 2012, two weeks before elections. The United National Movement, the then government, lost the elections, and Bidzina Ivanishvili’s Georgian Dream came to power.
Bidzina Ivanishvili, Founder of Georgian Dream: You all have seen and heard what is happening in Georgia’s prisons. This appalling footage of helpless men and children tortured, raped, and beaten. People, do you understand what it means, do you?
Twelve years after this statement, the government controlled by Ivanishvili treats innocent Georgian citizens inhumanly and tortures them.
Related News
