Georgian opposition leader Elene Khoshtaria and six women who say they were subjected to degrading treatment in detention have appealed to Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Michael O’Flaherty, calling for urgent action over alleged abusive practices in pre-trial detention facilities.
Opposition party Droa says the letter, sent on Wednesday, raises concerns over what it describes as the “violent practice of forced stripping” in detention isolators, particularly at the Digomi facility in Tbilisi. The signatories urge the Commissioner to use all available mechanisms within his mandate to end what they call a degrading and systemic violation of human rights, and to ensure accountability for those responsible.
The appeal highlights an incident in March 2025 involving Khoshtaria herself, which the authors argue is not an isolated case but part of a broader pattern. They claim that forced stripping has been used systematically against participants in pro-European protest movements, allegedly as a means of intimidation and punishment.
Citing findings from the OSCE’s “Moscow Mechanism” report, the letter states that such practices go beyond procedural violations and constitute serious, systemic breaches of human rights. “These cases are not merely misconduct: they form part of a wider, state-organized system of abuse,” the appeal reads.
The signatories stress that documenting such incidents alone is insufficient. They argue that only effective investigations and the prosecution of those responsible can serve as a meaningful deterrent against the normalization of ill-treatment in detention.
The issue of alleged forced stripping in detention gained broader public attention following incidents reported on November 28, 2024, amid protests in Georgia. Since then, local rights groups and opposition figures have repeatedly raised concerns about the treatment of detainees, particularly activists.
The appeal concludes that lasting stability in Georgia cannot be achieved without restoring justice and recognizing human dignity as a fundamental value.
The letter is signed by Tamuna Giorgadze, Lika Basilia-Shavgulidze, Mariam Melikishvili, Nutsa Makharadze, Nino Bardzimashvili, Nino Datashvili, and Elene Khoshtaria.
No immediate response from the Georgian authorities or the Council of Europe Commissioner’s office has been reported.
Related story: Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner holds meetings in Georgia
