Bishop Zenon, Archbishop of Dmanisi and Agarak-Tashir, has condemned the alleged police violence in Gori, saying such actions leave deep psychological and social scars on society.
Commenting on the incident in a social media post, Bishop Zenon said police violence is not merely a case of physical abuse but a serious trauma that damages public trust and society’s moral fabric.
“Actions like these by police officers are not merely incidents of physical violence for society. They represent severe psychological and social trauma that, more than the body itself, shatters a person’s inner world, trust, and the very consciousness of society,” he wrote.
The bishop claimed that the most disturbing aspect of such incidents is when society witnesses those tasked with protecting citizens becoming symbols of fear.
“The space of violence and oppression manifests itself most painfully when society is not merely watching a person being beaten and mistreated, but seeing how the one who, in principle, should represent safety and protection loses part of their own human face through violence.
“This leaves the most devastating mark: when a person sees many gathered against one, blindly driven by force, aggression, and the illusion of impunity. When power, which should have brought a sense of security, becomes a source of fear and vulnerability,” Bishop Zenon stated.
For reference, earlier on May 27, footage circulated online allegedly showing a group of law enforcement officers physically assaulting two individuals during an arrest in the so-called Kombinati district of Gori. The footage was shared by local outlet Kartlis Ambebi. The Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia has since launched an investigation into the alleged violent abuse of power by police officers.
Image source: formulanews.ge
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