Prepared by Messenger Staff
21-Year-Old Severely Beaten by Police at Protest, Now Facing Hooliganism Charges
Bilal Duishvili, a 21-year-old student from Pankisi, was physically assaulted by police on December 4 during a pro-European protest in Tbilisi. According to his lawyer, Mariam Kvelashvili from the Social Justice Centre, Duishvili was arrested and beaten by special forces as the police began to break up the demonstration.
Duishvili, who had been at the rally with a friend, was surrounded by special forces near the Biltmore Hotel. He tried to leave the protest, but was arrested and beaten. Kvelashvili reported that a short video captured the moment Duishvili was taken away by police. He was put into a police van where the officers continued to beat him, taking his phone and wallet. Duishvili could not recall exactly how much time he spent in the van or where he was taken.
Upon arriving at the police station, Duishvili was taken to a bathroom to wash the blood off his face. After being removed from the bathroom, he was in poor condition. According to Kvelashvili, a report was drawn up at the police station, falsely stating that Duishvili had been swearing at police. He was then transferred to the Central Hospital with a broken nose, a concussion, and multiple bruises.
Duishvili was not held in detention but was hospitalized for treatment. He spent five days in hospital and has now applied to the Special Investigation Service, which has launched an investigation into the incident. Duishvili is recognized as a victim in the case.
Duishvili is facing charges for petty hooliganism (Article 166 of the Administrative Code) and disobedience to police (Article 173 of the Administrative Code). His trial is scheduled for December 27, 2024.
Miners Fired for Political Reasons, Claim Ex-Employees; Company Denies Allegations
Miners Giorgi Abuladze and Khvicha Gabunia have accused the Saknakshiri coal company of firing them for political reasons, following threats and intimidation they claim they faced due to their views ahead of Georgia's elections. Abuladze, who had worked for 18 years at the company, posted on social media that he was dismissed after refusing to align with Russian interests, while Gabunia stated that he and about 100 miners were left unemployed as a form of political retaliation.
According to Abuladze, his dismissal followed a campaign of threats against him and his family. He claims he was warned that his relatives, also employed at Saknakshiri, would lose their jobs unless he complied. Gabunia added that the layoffs were politically motivated, citing his pro-European stance and public support for Georgia's movement toward Europe. He further stated that the company was planning to release even more workers in the coming months.
Saknakshiri, however, denies these claims, asserting that the layoffs were part of a broader reorganization to meet European standards. The company claims the reduction in staff was due to an evaluation process in which workers had to meet new qualifications. They offered retraining for affected employees and stressed that the layoffs were not politically motivated. According to a company representative, employees were given the opportunity to retrain and receive full salary, benefits, and insurance during this period.
