The Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia has launched an investigation into abuse of authority by police officers in Gori after local media outlet ‘Kartlis Ambebi’ published footage showing violence against a detainee.
The footage shows several police officers allegedly assaulting a man lying on the ground, covering his face and head with his hands, while being urged to calm down. During the incident, one officer is seen punching him in the head.
‘Kartlis Ambebi’ says that the head of the Shida Kartli Police Department, Sergi Bzishvili, was also present in the Kombinati settlement, where the incident occurred. The media outlet also reports, citing unverified information, that one of the detainees allegedly had a cold weapon.
The investigation has been launched under Article 333, Part 3, Subparagraph “b” of the Criminal Code.
“At this stage, urgent investigative and procedural actions are underway. We will inform the public about the results of the investigation as soon as possible,” the Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement.
The article cited by the Prosecutor’s Office concerns abuse of authority involving violence and carries a prison sentence of five to eight years.
