Recruit says his leadership tried to extort money from him
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Wednesday, March 13
Nineteen-year-old recruit says that he and several others were called late on March 8 at the Krtsanisi Training Centre near Tbilisi with the presence of “sergeant Undiladze” and money was demanded from them.
Kazim Gakhramov told Rustavi 2 private broadcaster that he refused to do so and he was “brutally beaten.”
He claimed that the facility doctor even did not ask him about his bruises.
The family says that Gakhramov was transported to the hospital.
The Ministry of Defence claims that the investigation was launched immediately regarding the issue and the people mentioned by the recruit have been interrogated.
“The people deny any violence,” the ministry reports.
“Based on preliminary information, such an incident has not been confirmed. However, if the accusations are confirmed to be true, everyone involved will be held accountable,” the ministry says.
The investigation has been launched for possible money extortion and violence, which is punishable by imprisonment of up to three years.
The opposition says that “as it appears money extortion” has returned to the army and this is “very regrettable and the government is to blame.”
Members of the United National Movement say that the current state leadership is “rushing the country to disaster” and they must be timely stopped.
