The Public Defender of Georgia has condemned the actions of law enforcement officers following the dissemination of video footage in the media showing instances of violence against citizens. The Ombudsman stated that any unlawful actions by the police, especially cases of abuse and ill-treatment, are unacceptable and require a response from the state.
“Given the high level of public interest in this topic, the Public Defender deems it necessary to inform the public about the key findings and recommendations contained in the 2025 parliamentary report regarding the treatment of detainees by the police. These findings are based on the work of the Special Preventive Group.
In 2025, the group conducted 79 monitoring visits to police departments and temporary detention facilities, interviewed defendants and convicts in penitentiary institutions, as well as defense lawyers, and collected and analyzed key data.
Based on the monitoring results, the Special Preventive Group annually receives information about police violence both during and after arrest – in police vehicles and administrative buildings. A persistent trend remains where approximately half of the administrative detainees, whose cases were identified during the review of medical records at temporary detention facilities, state that they sustained injuries directly during or after their arrest.
The Public Defender reiterates that preventing torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment is impossible without combating impunity and establishing effective safeguards against ill-treatment. Regrettably, recommendations issued in this regard have remained unfulfilled for many years.
Patrol officers and criminal police officers are still not required to record video during interactions with citizens. There is also no obligation to video-record detainees inside police vehicles or to audio- and video-record their interrogations. The number of cameras in police stations and departments has not increased significantly, and in some units, cameras are entirely absent.
In 2025, the illegal practice of de facto detention without formal procedures was once again identified. Furthermore, the report outlines issues regarding informing detainees of their rights and their access to legal counsel, as well as deficiencies in record-keeping, including the documentation of police use of force.
The Public Defender once again calls on the relevant state authorities to immediately take effective steps to implement the recommendations outlined in the parliamentary report,” the statement reads.
