Victim of Family Violence Arrested

Georgian NGOs protest against family violence and call the state to support the victims of violence. Their activation was connected with the arrest of 32 years old pregnant Natia Janelidze, who was the victim of family violence herself.

Janelidze’s story looks like following: mother of three children was often under the harassment of her husband, the head of Sadakhlo Police department Nukri Janelidze. On the 29th of August harassment against her was repeated again. Nukri Janelidze  turned out his wife from the house. Natia called her father and informed him about it. The father of victim, annoyed by the behavior of his son-in-law, went to his house and killed him with Janelidze’s own gun.

Natia Janelidze’s father, Vakhtang Telia acknowledged the crime and added that he is not sorry of doing so, as his daughter and grand children were leaving in continuous stress. According to Telia, they did not hope that police would help them, as the violator was one of the high rank officials.

Law enforcers, together with Telia, arrested Natia Janelidze, pregnant wife of killed Nikri Janelidze. She is accused in encouragement of the crime. The court sentenced her two months of preliminary arrest. She lost her unborn child in the prison. Natia Janelidze was captured when she was 14 years old.  

Non governmental organizations fighting against family violence protest against Janelidze’s arrest and demand her urgent release. According to Nino Tsikhiseli, the head of Caucasian Women Network: “The victim of family violence was arrested. She announced that harassment from her husband had a daily character. Unfortunately, it turned out, that informing family members about your problems means encouragement of the crime.  Sadly, if the victim of family violence is a wife of a policeman, she can not ask law enforcers for help. For what is Natia Janelidze punished? Who will help the victims, when oppressor is a policeman himself?”

According to Caucasian Women Network the number of family violence in Georgia is quite high. Only two thousand cases were registered during 2006. However, it is not the real number, as most of victims do inform neither police, nor NGOs about it. Every fourth woman in Georgia becomes a victim of family violence, every seventh is pregnant.

NGOs and the Ombudsman’s Office remind state that the doors of Europe are closed for the countries, which have high index of family violence. “I have serious pretence towards Vano Merabishvili, the Minister of Internal Affairs. How I can trust Georgian police, when they use violence in their own families?” – asks Tsikhistavi.

UN is also concerned about situation on family violence in Georgia. According to the findings of UN Committee on Women’s Issues, violence against women, as well as family violence is frequent in Georgia. The Committee insists to put the law against family violence in the list of priorities of the country. Also demands to raise responsibilities of policeman and high rank officials about this issue and pay more attention to women victims.

Eka Gulua