ECHR Rules Georgia Failed to Properly Investigate Child Abuse Case
By Messenger Staff
Thursday, April 2, 2026
The European Court of Human Rights has found that Georgia failed to effectively investigate allegations of sexual abuse of a minor, in a case that resulted in a violation of the applicant's rights and a compensation order.
In its March 31 judgment in X v. Georgia, the Court said the authorities violated Article 3 and Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights and ordered the state to pay Euro 10,000 in damages.
The judges said the investigation was "ineffective and liable to cause her additional and unwarranted distress," pointing to "inactivity," "inconclusiveness," and a "persistent failure - or possible unwillingness - to properly investigate" the allegations against the girl's stepfather.
The case concerns a Georgian girl who was 13 when she reported the abuse in 2021. An investigation was opened, but the Court found it stalled for years without a clear explanation.
Although the Court said Georgia's legal framework for dealing with sexual abuse is "adequate," it concluded the handling of this case fell short. It noted that prosecutors refused to grant the girl victim status early on, and that decision was later upheld by the Tbilisi City Court. The Court said it was "particularly concerned" by that outcome.
It also pointed to the authorities' refusal to record an additional statement from the applicant that could have strengthened the case, as well as issues with medical examinations and the way some questioning was conducted.
A separate complaint alleging discrimination was rejected, with the Court saying there was no evidence that the failures were based on sex.
At a press conference on April 1, Baia Pataraia, head of Sapari, said the ruling was the first of its kind involving sexual violence in Georgia.
"The victim could not prove her case in Georgia and had to turn to Strasbourg," she said.
Pataraia also said Sapari's bank accounts have been frozen as part of an ongoing investigation, limiting the group's ability to continue its work.
