One of the participants in the Gori incident, Lasha Abisonashvili, recounted how the conflict with the police began, after which, he says, he and his friend were beaten.
The man stated that the altercation began after a police car started following his friend, who was walking during a break from work.
According to Abisonashvili, he tried to help his friend but ended up being beaten as well.
Gori police detain two men, footage shows possible use of force
“The conversation went like this: ‘Why did you run into me <with the car>?’ Then a fight started, and I stepped in. There were only two of us. I don’t know the reason why we were beaten. I’m sure he doesn’t know either. He wasn’t handcuffed <during the conflict>. I have injuries on my head and leg. If I was also to blame, why was I let go?” Abisonashvili stated.
He also denies reports that one of those detained in the “Kombinat” district had an edged weapon.
Abisonashvili said that after the incident he was released, while his friend was likely taken to the police station. He believes his friend’s condition may be serious.
“He also said that he works at the Bank of Georgia and would call a lawyer—after that, they became even more aggressive,” he noted.
As a reminder, in Gori, in the so-called “Kombinat” district, a group of law enforcement officers used physical force against two men. The Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia has launched an investigation into the alleged abuse of power by the police.
Georgian Prosecutor’s Office launches investigation into police violence in Gori