Financial Police Accused of Beating Pregnant Woman

Financial Police Accused of Beating Pregnant Woman

Shida Kartli Financial Police have again been accused of beating members of the public. The most recent incident took place in the Gori district in the village of Phlavismani. On July 17th there was confrontation between Financial Policemen and the Phsouris, a family suspected of transporting smuggled goods. Nikoloz Phsouri - a member of the family has concussion and his pregnant wife was taken to hospital. According to doctors, the woman is in danger of suffering further complications to her pregnancy.

Nikoloz Phsouri, detained for storing smuggled cigarettes, accuses the Financial Police of physical assault. The detainee’s explanation was given to Levan Jachvliani, a representative of the Public Defender’s Office. According to Jachvliani, Phsouri has numerous injures to his face and legs.

Zurab Arsoshvili, the Chief of Financial Police, points out that his staff act in accordance with the law. “Due to information gathered in operations, the Financial Police have found a secret stash of smuggled cigarettes. They are real smugglers. When our policemen decided to search their house, they tried to resist us. They began shouting, called neighbors and made the situation unnecessarily tense. During this quarrel, some of them were injured. If they had not resisted, we would not have had this outcome,” declares Zurab Arsoshvili.

Nikoloz Phsouri and his wife both accuse the police of physical assault. Now she is in the gynecological department of Gori Regional Hospital. The Financial Police are also opposed by Gori resident Shorena Gabinashvili. According to her, the Chief of the Financial Police, Zurab Arsoshvili himself threatens her with arrest.

Shorena Gabinashvili states: “Today I face charges at the Financial Police station. I have been hassled and threatened with the possibility of arrest for a long time. They threaten to plant cigarettes on me; I think they have targeted me because they arrested me eight months ago with several boxes of cigarettes. They said to me that they would renew the case against me and arrest me. It will happen if I don’t become their informant. I cannot sleep day or night at home. I was arrested for having several boxes of cigarettes and now they threaten to renew the case for which I have already served my sentence. Please, take any measures to protect me from being arrested when I go to the police.”

Zurab Arsoshvili (Chief of Financial Police) states: “I do not know of such person at all. If she is to be arrested, no matter who they are, we should detain them. Actually, I do not know that person and I cannot comment on those facts. As for the incident in Phlavismani, there was no disturbing situation there. I have spoken with the doctors, who state that the pregnant woman is not in any danger. Simply, she decided to go to hospital herself, to paint the picture of a seriously injured person. Stark provocation took place. Trust me; the struggle against smugglers encounters many who would cause such problems.”

Saba Tsitsikashvili, Gori