Ombudsman Raises Demands Over the Shocking Child Bullying Video
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Tuesday, April 24
(TBILISI) - The Georgian Public Defender has raised several demands to the government of Georgia over the shocking child bullying video widely spread via social networks last week.
“The video footage clearly shows the juvenile's face and accordingly, it is easy to identify the child, which violates the child’s right to privacy and threatens his/her psycho-emotional state,” Nino Lomjaria stated, referring to the video taken by children, showing cruel attitude and threatening words and actions towards one of the kids.
The Ombudsman has called on relevant state agencies to:
Instantly stop spreading the video;
To start an urgent investigation into the incident, identify all persons involved in it and the source of the release of the video;
Provide appropriate psychological and social support to the victim, including monitoring of the protection of his/her rights, in order to prevent secondary victimization;
Take all measures to ensure correction of the violent behavior of the children involved in the video and offer them all relevant services.
Lomjaria announced that her body has already started to study the case and expressed her readiness to cooperate with all relevant state agencies.
“At the same time, we urge the public to refrain from spreading the video, taking into consideration the best interests of the child,” she said.
Health Minister David Sergeenko has called the video “shocking” and stated that all necessary steps have been taken to address the issue.
“All the children involved are identified. All relevant state agencies have been involved: The social department of the Health Ministry and the Interior Ministry appropriate agencies,” Sergeenko stated.
He vowed that the state will do its best to ensure normal future for the abused kid.
