The Public Defender of Georgia has responded to footage released by TV Pirveli showing violence by law enforcement officers against citizens, condemning all unlawful actions by police officers, especially cases of ill-treatment.
The Ombudsman also provided brief information on the main findings and recommendations from the 2025 parliamentary report on treatment by police, prepared by the Special Preventive Group.
The Public Defender’s Office says the Special Preventive Group conducted 79 monitoring visits to police institutions and temporary detention centers in 2025. The group also interviewed defendants and convicts in penitentiary institutions, as well as lawyers, and analyzed various types of data.
The report says that monitoring continues to reveal cases of alleged violence against detainees by police, both during and after detention, including in police vehicles and administrative buildings. It also notes that, based on medical documentation from temporary detention centers, around half of administratively detained persons report injuries sustained during and/or after detention.
The Public Defender stresses that the prevention of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment is not possible without accountability and effective protection mechanisms.
The report says that recommendations in this area have not been implemented for years. It notes that patrol inspectors and criminal police officers are still not required to record their interactions with citizens, including during detentions, transfers in police vehicles, or interrogations.
It also says that the number of surveillance cameras in police departments has not increased significantly, and some units do not have cameras at all. The report further highlights cases of detention without formal procedures, as well as problems related to informing detainees of their rights, access to lawyers, and documentation of police use of force.
The Public Defender has called on relevant authorities to take immediate and effective steps to implement the recommendations outlined in the report.
The story was aired on June 12 on TV Pirveli, where journalist Nodar Meladze published video footage showing torture and inhuman treatment at a police station. He said the footage was filmed by police and later shared in public chats, with the person who obtained the files subsequently arrested.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia (MIA) later said the incident shown in the video took place in summer 2022 in Kobuleti, and that three employees of the Imereti Police Department appear in the footage.
The ministry also said the case was identified in February this year, and on February 23 the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia arrested all three police officers as defendants.
