Six police officers remanded in custody over violent abuse of official authority

The Gori District Court on Friday placed six police officers in pretrial detention on charges of abuse of official authority committed with violence. The decision follows their arrest by the Prosecutor’s Office.

Nodar Tsintsadze, the lawyer of detainee Alexi Bakhalov, noted that his client did not admit the charges.

“During the investigation stage, he testified that he was performing his official duties with his unit and was called by the criminal police to assist in the detention of a suspected offender. He went to the scene, and in the video footage it can be seen that he hands handcuffs to one of the criminal police officers. This means that he went there in the course of his duties. What circumstances existed and how events developed before his arrival, naturally he did not know and no one explained it to him”, he said.

Prosecutor Mikheil Beriashvili reported that six individuals have been charged and arrested.

“Six individuals have been exposed and arrested, and charges have been brought against them under the relevant articles. As for the possible expansion of the group of persons involved, the investigation is ongoing. It is the duty of the Prosecutor’s Office to conduct a comprehensive, full, and objective investigation, and that is exactly what is happening. Some of the questioned defendants provide information to the investigation, while others do not - that is their right”, he noted.

He further highlighted that the investigation is ongoing and comprehensive.

“As for the individuals who were with them, some of them have already been identified. However, whether other persons present at the scene committed a crime is a matter for the investigation to determine, and the investigation continues in that regard as well. Based on the materials established so far, it is determined that the defendants stopped these individuals for verification, which was followed by a verbal confrontation that escalated into a physical altercation, and it is precisely this that constitutes abuse of official authority”, Beriashvili said.

Revaz Revazishvili, the lawyer for the victims, said his clients were recognised as victims.

“During this process, my clients were recognised as victims, which was essentially important and formed a substantial part of our request. We do not have an obsession with either increasing or decreasing the number of defendants. The number is not important to us; what matters is that the case materials objectively reflect the circumstances and facts that occurred, and that these facts are properly attributed to the responsibility of each individual. We will maintain strict oversight of this”, the lawyer noted.

He emphasised that the focus was on ensuring the case materials accurately reflect the facts and assign responsibility correctly.

“If it becomes clear that other individuals may also bear responsibility, we will of course raise that request, although we believe there will be no need for such a motion, as the investigation will make the appropriate decisions itself”, Revazishvili concluded.