Human Rights Center calls on the Government for timely establishment of an effective investigation mechanism for offences of law enforcement

Once again, Human Rights Center expresses concern  about increasing tendency of human rights violation in police departments and calls on the Government to ensure establishment of timely and effective mechanism –an independent investigative body. 

A citizen Maia Kekelia addressed to Human Rights Center for help. On June 9, 2015, by the decision of Zugdidi District Court she was found guilty for resisting an officer of Bandzi’s Department of Martvili District Division of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Regional Main Division. 

Maia Kekelia points out that the verdict is ungrounded and devoid of any evidence, because she did not commit the crime. 

According to Kekelia, on September 16, 2014, there was no fact of resistance against an officer of Bandzi’s Department of Martvili District Division of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Regional Main Division. Moreover, as Kekelia says, on September 16, 2014, police officers exceeded their power. In particular: the police officers were under the influence of alcohol and verbally abused Maia Kekelia. 

On the above-mentioned case, Maia Kekelia has repeatedly addressed Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Regional Main Division, also the district prosecutor’s office of Samegrelo-Zemo Svasneti, the General Inspection and asked to start investigation on abuse of power by the officers of Bandzi’s Department of Martvili District Division. In addition, Maia Kekelidze requested to conduct an alcohol test on the police officers. 

If the above-mentioned requests were taken into consideration, innocence of Maia Kekelia would be confirmed and the facts of power abuse by the police officers would have been revealed. However, legal requests of the citizen were not satisfied and the police charged her instead. 

The statements of Maia Kekelia, were sent from Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Regional Main Division, also from the district prosecutor’s office of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti and the General Inspection to Zugdidi District Division for revision and further response. Grigol Topuria, who was an investigator of the criminal case against Kekelia, reviewed these statements. He did not react appropriately and did not start investigation of the facts. Moreover, according to Maia Kekelia, there was a fact of psychological pressure from the investigator in order for her to plead guilty. 

Human Rights Center calls on:

The Government of Georgia,  to fulfill the recommendations of the Public Defender of Georgia and authoritative international experts and ensure timely establishment of independent investigative body for effective and impartial investigation of the offences and human rights violations made by law enforcement officers. 

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Prosecutors Office of Georgia, to examine the case of Maia Kekelia and have an appropriate reaction on the facts of power abuse by the officers of Bandzi’s Department of Martvili District Division of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Regional Main Division.

Human Rights and Civil Integration Committee of the Parliament of Georgia, to provide an effective parliamentary control over the General Inspection of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia. 

Human Rights Center