Nodar Aroshanidze

Apprehended

Tortured

Violence

Prisoner

N. Aroshanidze

Nodar
Aroshanidze

Nodar Aroshinadze, an architectural historian, was detained on the night of December 2nd during pro-European protests in Tbilisi. He was on Rustaveli Avenue, in front of the "Marriott" hotel, where he stood facing special forces along with other citizens.

Masked individuals, presumably from the Special Tasks Department, slowly moved towards them. Nodar stood silently, doing nothing, when he was suddenly attacked. He was brutally beaten during the arrest and then taken towards the riot police.

«They were kicking me in the face, and every time I tried to cover my face, they beat me even more savagely.»

Before being placed in a minibus, Nodar was searched, and his personal belongings, including a wooden cross, were taken from him. Other detainees were already in the vehicle where he was first placed. Nodar was brutally assaulted, first with fists and then with kicks. As he recalls, he lost consciousness. This was not the only vehicle Nodar found himself in that night. After that, there was another van, a patrol police car that took him to the police department, and an ambulance that took him to Ingorokva Clinic with severe injuries.

Human rights organizations, including the Social Justice Center (SJC), condemned the police actions. They documented widespread cases of torture and inhuman treatment of demonstrators, including Aroshinadze's case. The organization criticized the Georgian government's response to the demonstrations, stating that the police actions constituted a systemic violation of fundamental human rights. The SJC reported that over 400 people were detained during the demonstrations, and over 300 claimed to have been victims of inhuman treatment.

The SJC highlighted the impunity of police violence, noting that no officers had been charged despite numerous incidents of abuse. They also criticized the courts for refusing to consider allegations, citing that it was outside their jurisdiction, denying victims legal recourse. The organization demanded an investigation into torture, threats of torture, and inhuman treatment, and that the perpetrators be held accountable. Additionally, they criticized the government for failing to implement preventive measures against police brutality.

Nodar Aroshinadze's case is one of many that demonstrates how law enforcement actions exceed the boundaries of legality. The violence and inhuman treatment inflicted on detainees are tantamount to torture and represent a systemic violation of absolutely protected rights and peremptory norms of international law.

Like many other detainees, Aroshinadze was not given the opportunity to fully recount his experiences in court. The court process, as described in the SJC report, focused solely on the legality of his detention, ignoring his and other detainees' testimonies of inhuman treatment. This systemic failure aims to silence Aroshinadze and other victims, reinforcing a sense of impunity.

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