«They tortured me, but they couldn't break me, they arrested me, but they couldn't take my freedom.»
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«How can the prosecutor's office be right in hundreds, maybe thousands of administrative violations and 53 criminal cases?! How can it not be wrong at least once and not acquit a single citizen?! What kind of practice is this?! How can these prosecutors be right before God?! This is a dictatorship. This is injustice»
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«They took me to Digomi, handed me over to four masked men, and beat me. They searched me, and then other masked individuals continued to assault me with various objects. They even broke a wooden stick over me»
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«They were hitting me on the sides and head, I was half-conscious when one of the Zonders rushed at me and tried to break my arm. My beating probably lasted 5-10 minutes, maybe longer, I don't know, I was losing consciousness periodically. After some time, those policemen returned and the Zonders also left the room.»
«I told them that I was dizzy and my heart was pounding, they gave me a parka and calmed me down, that nothing would happen to you, that these guys were "doctors" in their field, that no one in this city did their job so "professionally".»
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«After my lawyer arrived, they forbade me from seeing him. They told me I wouldn’t be allowed to meet with him. I kept requesting a doctor, emergency medical assistance, but no one came. The scariest moment was when, at 6 a.m., they brought convicted criminal authorities into my cell. They physically and verbally abused me. Among them were people convicted of drug-related and other serious crimes. I was afraid they would kill me»
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«These masked individuals had no identifying marks and did not declare themselves as police officers. When asked who they were, they failed to respond. These unidentified masked officers verbally abused my client»
«I was arrested because I defended myself and others from a 'titushka' [provocateur] named Mirian Kavataradze, who had no police identification—he wore a hood and a face mask. He assaulted a woman, insulted us, and acted aggressively. I defended myself against him. Because of that, I was kidnapped, tortured twice at the station, and then placed in a high-security prison with trumped-up charges of assaulting a police officer—an absolute lie.»
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«We believe this is an act of retaliation, and at the very least, authorities must immediately explain why they are handling this case this way. As for the Special Investigation Service, I repeat—initiate an investigation into Saba's treatment now. Retrieve the surveillance footage from the Digomi police station before it is erased, showing how masked men entered the station. I urge you to preserve this footage before it is deleted—if it hasn't been already,»
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Saba Skhvitaridze, a member of the political party "Akhali," known for his active civic stance and participation in various protests, was arrested late at night on December 5, 2024, just hours after a confrontation took place on Freedom Square. The prosecution claims that he attacked officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs with a baton, injuring one of them in the head. The clash between police and civilians erupted after a group of unidentified individuals dressed in black gathered outside the Marriott Hotel, where an opposition meeting was taking place.
Skhvitaridze alleges that his fundamental rights were violated during and after his arrest. He claims that the police did not inform him of the reason for his detention and provided no explanation before transferring him to Gori. He was handed over to an unidentified operational group, which continued the violence. During a court hearing, Skhvitaridze stated:
"They took me to Digomi, handed me over to four masked men, and beat me. They searched me, and then other masked individuals continued to assault me with various objects. They even broke a wooden stick over me."
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Skhvitaridze alleges that his fundamental rights were violated during and after his arrest. He claims that the police did not inform him of the reason for his detention and provided no explanation before transferring him to Gori. He was handed over to an unidentified operational group, which continued the violence. During a court hearing, Skhvitaridze stated:
During the court hearing, the prosecutor stated that Skhvitaridze had physically assaulted a police officer, causing injuries. According to the prosecution, Skhvitaridze struck police officer Mirian Kavataradze on the head with an object, which led to the officer being hospitalized. However, Skhvitaridze's lawyer, Irakli Chomakhashvili, argued that the prosecution only presented a 29-second video as evidence. According to the defense, this footage does not prove that the accused engaged in violence, making the charges unfounded.
The defense also highlights that Skhvitaridze sustained severe bodily injuries, including facial wounds and a fractured upper limb, which they claim resulted from brutal police violence during his arrest.
Skhvitaridze further stated in court that after his arrest, he was transferred to the pre-trial detention center in Gori, where the abuse continued. He alleged that after his lawyer entered the detention center, authorities restricted his contact with him:
During the hearing, Judge Nino Tarashvili acknowledged that the defendant showed visible injuries, which were also documented in the photographs presented by the defense. The judge stated that the injuries were indeed caused by violence and urged the prosecutor’s office to investigate the incident. However, the prosecution insisted that Skhvitaridze’s injuries were self-inflicted.
On January 14, Skhvitaridze was officially recognized as a victim. He has since demanded justice, claiming that police officers brutally assaulted him after his arrest. The case is currently under investigation by the Special Investigation Service.
Skhvitaridze has been charged under Article 353(1) of the Georgian Criminal Code, which involves causing bodily harm to a police officer while they are performing their duties. If convicted, he faces a prison sentence of 7 to 11 years. The prosecution specifically accuses him of participating in an attack on law enforcement officers on the evening of December 4, 2024, near Hotel "M" in Tbilisi, where protesters allegedly used various objects against the police.
His lawyer, Irakli Chomakhashvili, argues that the confrontation was provoked by masked individuals who escalated tensions.
Notably, Skhvitaridze was transferred to Rustavi's strict-regime №6 penitentiary, raising further questions about why he was placed there instead of the standard №8 Gldani prison, where similar detainees are usually held. According to his lawyer, the conditions in his cell are unsanitary, and it remains unclear why he was singled out for such treatment.
The organization also pointed to contradictions in the prosecution's case, suggesting that these inconsistencies undermine the credibility of the charges. Notably, on the day of his arrest, two different police officers filed conflicting reports regarding the events. Additionally, witness statements provided by police officers were identical word-for-word, raising suspicions about the integrity of the case. A medical report confirmed that the injured police officer sustained only minor injuries, contradicting the prosecution’s claim of a severe attack. According to the prosecution’s own document, the injured officer was transferred to a medical facility from another location and stated that he was struck by a blunt object, not a baton.
The defense also argues that there is no direct evidence linking Skhvitaridze to the alleged assault. They emphasize that the prosecution’s key video evidence fails to show Skhvitaridze attacking the officer. Instead, video footage presented by the defense suggests that both Skhvitaridze and the injured officer were at Freedom Square at the time, not Rustaveli Avenue, where the prosecution claims the attack took place.
The defense also argues that there is no direct evidence linking Skhvitaridze to the alleged assault. They emphasize that the prosecution’s key video evidence fails to show Skhvitaridze attacking the officer. Instead, video footage presented by the defense suggests that both Skhvitaridze and the injured officer were at Freedom Square at the time, not Rustaveli Avenue, where the prosecution claims the attack took place.
Skhvitaridze has faced multiple previous administrative charges since the protests against the reintroduction of the "foreign agents" law. He has been fined and detained on various occasions for offenses such as blocking roads and refusing to comply with police orders. On November 17, 2024, he was temporarily detained and accused of obstructing traffic. While he was still being held in pre-trial detention on criminal charges, administrative cases against him continued, leading to additional penalties. On January 29, Judge Zviad Tskekava fined him 2,500 GEL for an alleged administrative violation.
The case of Saba Skhvitaridze highlights growing concerns over politically motivated arrests in Georgia. His treatment in detention, the contradictions in the prosecution’s case, and the broader crackdown on activists and protesters raise alarming questions about the state of justice and human rights in the country.
