Month: May 2026
The Prosecutor’s Office announced on May 28 the arrest of six law enforcement officers in connection with the previous day’s incident in Gori, a town in central Georgia, where two people were seen in a viral video being beaten by police.
The detainees face five to eight years in prison on charges of “exceeding official powers through violence” under Article 333 of the Criminal Code of Georgia. The Prosecutor’s Office said they “exceeded their official powers through the use of violence during the detention of the victim” and “as a result of the violence, the victim’s rights were substantially violated, and their health was also harmed.”
The investigation was launched yesterday after the media published video footage from the so-called Kombinati settlement in Gori, showing up to ten law enforcement officers approaching several people, forcibly detaining one man and kicking him repeatedly, and beating another man on the ground. The footage also captured the men screaming during the assault in apparent pain. The circumstances preceding the incident remain unclear.
The incident sparked widespread public backlash, including from opposition politicians, civil society representatives, and senior clerics. Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze also commented on the footage, calling it “absolutely unacceptable” and saying state agencies “should have and will have an appropriate response.”
Later the same day, one of the beaten men, Papuna Lotsulashvili, was briefly detained. According to his lawyer, he faces allegations of “attacking a police officer,” a claim he described as “absurd.” He was later transferred overnight to Tbilisi’s Vivamedi clinic for medical examination. A doctor at the clinic told the media that Lotsulashvili had a superficial head injury, a fractured rib, a contusion and a wrist sprain.
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Georgia investigates alleged case of police violence
Authorities in the Georgian city of Gori have launched an investigation into alleged violence by police officers against a civilian after local outlet Kartlis Ambebi published video footage showing several officers attacking a man, reportedly during his arrest.
According to Georgia’s Prosecutor’s Office, investigators are examining the case under Article 333, Part 3, Subparagraph “b” of the Criminal Code, which concerns abuse of official authority involving the use of force.
The article applies to abuse of power by a person holding a public or political office involving violence or the use of a weapon. It carries a prison sentence of between five and eight years, along with a ban on holding office or engaging in certain activities for up to three years.
The agency said investigators are currently carrying out “urgent investigative and procedural actions” and that authorities will provide additional information about the results of the investigation later.
Reaction to the incident
Georgia’s Public Defender’s Office also responded to the incident, describing the leaked video footage as “alarming” and urging prosecutors to conduct an objective and effective investigation.
The agency stressed that it condemns “all forms of unlawful actions, especially acts of ill-treatment” by law enforcement officers and said it would monitor the investigation within the scope of its mandate.
“The Public Defender’s Office calls on the Prosecutor’s Office to ensure an objective and effective investigation in order to hold all those responsible accountable,” the statement said.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze from the ruling Georgian Dream party also responded to the incident in Gori.
He said the published video footage was “absolutely unacceptable”.
“These are absolutely unacceptable scenes and, of course, the relevant state bodies must and will respond appropriately. The public will be informed about this,” Kobakhidze told journalists.
Georgia investigates alleged case of police violence



