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Human Rights Center to Defend Interests of Ladi Elikashvili, Beaten by Police Officers

November 28, 2015
 
Lela Khechoshvili, Kakheti

19-years-old Ladi Elikashvili from Dzirkoki village in Gurjaani municipality, accuses head of Gurjaani district MIA department Giorgi Kratsashvili and his deputies Giorgi Darejanashvili, Shota Mosulishvili and Gocha Aptsiauri in his physical assault.

“My father, me and my friends were standing in the police office yard, because one of my friends got married and had some issue with police. He was inside the police office and asked me to approach the window. I soon got back but police officers told me the chief police officer was calling me. They told my father I would be released after interrogation. We went upstairs in the police unit. As soon as I entered the working room of the chief police officer, he and his deputies started beating me; mostly they beat me in the head,” Ladi Elikashvili said.

According to him, the head of the police had conflict with his brother-in-law Guram Natsvlishvili, who worked in Gurjaani district MIA department.
“My brother-in-law had conflict with him and then moved to Signagi district to work. Later the former senior officer asked him to return back but he refused. They beat me to revenge him. When police officers were beating me, one of the officers Rezo Kadagishvili entered the room and told them: “Why are not you beating him so brutally that people heard his scream in Signagi too?” The chief police officer was cursing the Elikashvilis, saying they would not have peace until the Elikashvilis live in the district,” Ladi Elikashvili told humanrights.ge.

As he said, on October 29, he was brutally beaten in the working room of the head of Gurjaani district police; his teeth were broken and his lips were bleeding. Before going out he was ordered to wash up face not to show up in similar conditions before the parents. 

According to him, the chief police officer warned him to say that he fell on the stairs and got injuries there. The young man claims police officers threatened him to beat every time he goes out in the street. Then he was taken out of the building through the back door, put in the car and taken to the temporary detention setting in Kvareli.

Lawyer of Human Rights Center’s Kakheti office Lia Khuroshvili defends rights of Ladi Elikashvili.
On November 5, Gurjaani district court held hearing into Ladi Elikashvili’s case and gave preference to law enforcement officers. Gurjaani district officers were questioned at the trial as witnesses and they said Ladi Elikashvili was trying to get into the police unit by force. The police officers warned him that it was prohibited but Elikashvili did not obey their warning.

The court clarified that Ladi Elikashvili breached public order with his foul language and misconduct. Consequently he was charged and punished under Article 166 of the Administrative Code.

To establish the truth Ladi Elikashvili addressed to the General Inspection of the MIA and Kakheti regional prosecutor’s office; the latter started investigation into the case under Article 333 of the Criminal Code of Georgia that is exceeding official powers by an officer or a person equal thereto that has inflicted a substantial damage to the right of a natural or legal person, legal public or state interest, and it is punishable by fine or by jail time up to four months in length or by imprisonment for up to three years in length. 

It is noteworthy that Kakheti regional prosecutor’s office is also processing case of Tchabuka Tchabukadze’s physical assault by police officers in the Gurjaani district MIA department office. Nobody was punished for that offence so far. 

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