Victim of Drunkenness or Forced Labour Demands Payment for His Work

Painter Guram Abuselidze now works as a master craftsman, setting decorative stones. According to Abuselidze, Rezo Lazishvili, a representative of the ‘Kazbegi’ company in Batumi, assaulted him whilst he was carrying out a contract for the company and then forced him to work under threat of physical violence. Lazishvili says the incident was provoked by Abuselidze being drunk.

Painter Guram Abuseridze is challenging the ‘Kazbegi’ company and its representative Rezo Lazishvili in court. Whilst Abuseridze was working setting stones in one of the firm’s cafés, Lazishvili physically assaulted him, resulting in the craftsman sustaining concussion and several broken limbs.

“The work was nearly finished, only varnishing was left and I was waiting for the setting to dry. Lazishvili, the ‘Kazbegi’ representative, insisted on me varnishing and finishing the work immediately. Being a specialist in the field, I knew it needed some time and informed him of this. During the argument Lazishvili unexpectedly hit me. I fell down and then he began to beat me. I passed out and remember nothing. When I awoke my eyebrow was cut and I was covered in blood. The designer employed on the site medically assisted me. Rezo Lazishvili was continuing to threaten me, saying - I’ll kill you, unless you finish the work now - he said. He locked me in the café. I was forced to varnish the floor and finish my work.”

Abuselidze, the victim, stated that later he saw policemen in the street and asked them for help. They then took him to the 1st Department of the City Police Station.

During questioning, Guram Abuselidze felt bad so they took him to Batumi Hospital #1 by ambulance. Avto Diasamidze, the traumatologist diagnosed that two limbs were broken.

The accused, Rezo Lazishvili says Abuselidze’s complaint is outrageous: “Actually I really hit him once, but I did not beat him at all. He made me furious. Initially I was sorry for him; his wife abandoned him and went to Turkey, his little son is in Makhinjauri Children’s Home. I gave 50 laris to him to buy some food for his son several times; however he was spending the money on alcohol. Because he was drunk all the time he could not manage to finish the work. His limbs might have been broken by someone else after having parted with me. I know someone beat him in Bulvari when he was drunk. Now he wants to extort money from me. He demanded 60 laris, but I would not give him any, because it does not belong to him.”

Abuselidze is due to take more than half his salary of about 130GEL. He rents a flat - “The hostess, an Armenian woman, is looking after me and feeding for no money. I cannot work because of my poor health. They have not paid for my treatment expenses either. Moreover they threatened me and warned against appealing to anyone or telling my story.”
 
Jumber Diasamidze, Chief of the Batumi Police Station’s 1st Department pointed out in conversation with us that: “The Court’s Medical Expert is examining the case and we are waiting for his conclusion. If Guram Abuselidze has minor injures, the case will be discussed in court under civil law. But if the injures turn out be less than minor or serious, then a criminal case will be launched.”

Maka Malakmadze, Batumi