Journalist Accuses Police of Physical Abuse

Giorgi Gasviani, a journalist and a talk show host at Tbilisi-based Iberia TV, said on December 19 that he was physically insulted by a policeman, who threatened him not to disclose the fact.

Gasviani added that the incident took place in Borjomi, after his car slid on an icy road and three persons from the car coming from the opposite direction, including one drunken police officer, attacked him, beat him and after learning that he was a journalist, threatened him at gunpoint not to disclose the fact.

Interior Minister Giorgi Mgebrishvili said that if investigation proves the journalist’s allegations, “the police officer will be dismissed and held accountable.”

“If this fact is confirmed, the strictest sanctions will be used – I promise,” the Interior Minister told reporters on December 19 and added that he would not cover up the person, who “should himself observe the order and call on others to observe the order” instead of violating the law.

The Georgian chief prosecutor’s office said that initially, it was the police, which launched the investigation under the clause of the criminal code dealing with violence, but based on the journalist’s testimony, the case was transferred to the Samtskhe-Javakheti prosecutor’s office and an article dealing with exceeding official powers, committed with violence or use of firearms, was added to the case.

The prosecutor’s office said on December 19 that it will release the information on the results of investigation.