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The Head of Police Department is Accused for Beating a Georgian Citizen

March 8, 2008
Gela Mtivlishvili, Gurjaani

Gela Kutibashvili blames Otar Dighmelashvili, the Sighnaghi District Police department for physical assault. As a result of the incident Kutibashvili sustained a variety of injuries to body, including eight broken teeth, a cut lip and a broken lower jaw. Despite the injuries, law enforcers detained Gela Kutibashvili for resisting arrest. The Sighnaghi District Court has already sentenced him to seven-day term in jail. In the evening of March 6 the lawyer was kicked out of the hospital where she met the injured person under the direct order of Ioseb Gulashvili, Sighnaghi District Prosecutor.

At night of March 1 Otar Dighmelashvili ordered Gela Kutibashvili to stop the car together with other policemen. The driver was seized the wallet where he had documents. It is noteworthy that law enforcers were not patrolling by car and were not wearing uniforms either. Having received his wallet back, Gela Kutibashvili discovered that 250 GEL was taken out from it. He demanded the policemen to give his money back but in reply to his request the policemen verbally insulted him; then Otar Dighmelashvili physically assaulted him too.

“The policemen were too provocative; having insulted me they forced me to sit in the car where Otar Dighmelashvili physically assaulted me,” said Gela Kutibashvili. He sustained a variety of injuries on his face. After the incident the policemen arrested him.

“He was scolding us with nasty language; he did not obey our orders to provide his ID and car documents. He was drunk and hit the car with his chin while getting into the car. So he got injured but we did not beat him,” said law enforcers in their testimonies to the court.

The judge Tamaz Jaliashvili sentenced Kutibashvili to seven-day jail.

At the moment Kutibashvili is being treated at the Sighnaghi District Hosptial and there are nearly ten guards watching over him. In the evening of March 6 Lia Khuroshvili, the lawyer for the Human Rights Center was not allowed to see the injured person and delayed for the initial first hour. Later, however, the lawyer did meet Kutibashvili but several minutes later, Lia Khuroshvili was soon kicked out of the hospital under the direct order of Ioseb Gulashvili, Sighnaghi District Prosecutor.

Despite many requests medical expertise has not made on Kutibashvili yet. He needs special examination which he cannot take because of arbitrary detention. His health conditions gradually worsen.

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