Categories
Journalistic Survey
Articles
Reportage
Analitic
Photo Reportage
Exclusive
Interview
Foreign Media about Georgia
Editorial
Position
Reader's opinion
Blog
Themes
Children's Rights
Women's Rights
Justice
Refugees/IDPs
Minorities
Media
Army
Health
Corruption
Elections
Education
Penitentiary
Religion
Others

Another fact of alleged misconduct by police officers

July 31, 2015
 
Natia Gogolashvili

On July 29, Human Rights Center and Georgian Bar Association held a joint press conference and called on the Government to create an independent investigative commission. 

“General inspections of the Ministries of Internal Affairs and Corrections investigate the facts of alleged misconducts of their employees by themselves. This is a non effective and faulty practice, which has to be ended and the state should move to a new level where alleged violations and misconducts of law enforcement are investigated by a neutral, independent investigative body,”- says an executive director of Human Rights Center Aleko Tskitishvili. 

“The current Government makes unreasonable and unjustified steps towards to citizens. Not a week passes without violent actions against persons. Few days ago, the general inspection issued a report regarding the case of Kikiani in two days, which stated that the police officers were right. Only thing that will save Georgia is establishment of an independent investigative body. It is necessary that alleged violations performed by penitentiary employees or prosecutors to be investigated by an independent investigative body,”- says a chair of Georgian Bar Association Zaza Khatiashvili. 

A citizen Maia Kekelia was attending the press conference.  She addressed Human Rights Center for help. On June 9 of this year, by the verdict of Zugdidi District Court, Maia Kekelia was found guilty for resisting an officer of Bandzi’s Department of Martvili District Division. Maia Kekelia points out that the verdict is ungrounded, because in September 16 2014, it was police officers who exceeded their power. According to Kekelia, the police officers were under the influence of alcohol and verbally abused her. 

“I witnessed in the hallway of the police building than a man in black t-shirt was beating my nephew who was lying on the floor. I tried to get rid of this man from my nephew. He turned around and punched me in head. I fainted. After this, the situation became messed up. By order of the police officer, they took me out. When I came out, I saw that my nephew was handcuffed. I was shocked and went back to the police building to find out about the situation. I entered to the Chief of Martvili Police, Aleksandre Gagua and I had an argument with him. He is not used to someone objecting him,”-says Maia Kekelia. 

The lawyer of Human Rights Center, Tamar Lukava protects the rights of Maia Kekelia. According to her, Maia Kekelia has repeatedly addressed the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Regional Main Division, also the district prosecutor’s office of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti, the general inspection and asked to start investigation on power abuse by the officers of Bandzi’s Department of Martvili District Division, but to no avail. 

“All statements or claims of Maia Kekelia were sent to Zugdidi District Division for revision and further response. They were submitted for revision to the detective who was the main investigator of her case and, of course, he would not punish or start proceedings against his subordinates,” says Tamar Lukava. 

Human Rights Center calls on the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Prosecutor’s Office to examine the case of Maia Kekelia and have an appropriate reaction on the facts of alleged power abuse by the police officers. 

News