The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia has released video footage related to the case concerning the death of civic activist Keso Dekanosidze. The woman, who actively took part in anti-government protests, went missing in late August in Batumi. Several days later, her body was recovered from the Black Sea.
According to the Interior Ministry, investigators conducted dozens of procedural and investigative actions, questioned several witnesses, and reviewed CCTV footage recording Dekanosidze’s arrival in Batumi and her route to the coast. The totality of this evidence at the current stage confirms the fact of suicide.
“On August 29 of this year, Keso Dekanosidze traveled on the Tbilisi–Batumi train. According to surveillance footage, at 20:57 on August 29, Keso Dekanosidze exited the train carriage on the premises of the Batumi passenger railway station, exited the terminal building at 21:00, and proceeded alone by public transit toward the city center.
At 21:34, Keso Dekanosidze exited public transit at a stop near the Batumi cable car, after which she proceeded along Iakob Gogebashvili Street and then Egnate Ninoshvili Street to the main entrance of Batumi Boulevard, from where she continued alone toward the seashore, in the area of the so-called ‘Batumi Pier’ bridge.
Before heading to the sea, she purchased a lighter at a kiosk located on the boulevard’s promenade.
Eyewitness testimony confirms that in the vicinity of said bridge, having approached the water’s edge, Keso Dekanosidze lit a church candle, left her personal belongings and clothing on the shore, and subsequently entered the sea and swam away. Since she did not return, eyewitnesses contacted the ‘112’ Public Safety Command Center,” the Interior Ministry stated.
According to the ministry, rescuers launched a search operation immediately. Keso Dekanosidze’s body was discovered on August 31 in the sea off the coast of Kobuleti.
“No signs of violence were recorded on the body of the deceased. The investigation into the case is ongoing under Article 115 of the Criminal Code [incitement to suicide],” the Interior Ministry reported.