The Special Penitentiary Service of Georgia has released a video recording that, according to the agency, captures the incident involving inmate Giorgi Davitadze that occurred on December 21, 2025, in the “de-escalation room” of Penitentiary Facility No. 6. The video has no sound.
The footage shows about ten penitentiary service officers and the inmate. One of the officers is wearing disposable medical gloves.
Judging by the video material, penitentiary service officers search the prisoner, including with the use of a metal detector. Several people hold Davitadze’s hands behind his back. After forcing the inmate onto a bed and pinning his arms behind him, the officers forcibly conduct a body search.
The officers leave the room approximately two minutes after bringing the inmate inside.
Thirty-six-year-old Giorgi Davitadze alleged sexual assault during a hearing at the Court of Appeals. His account was aired by the TV Pirveli channel. Davitadze claims that in the de-escalation room, about ten guards subjected him to violence and degrading treatment.
“They took me down to the de-escalation room and raped me—with a finger, by hand. <…> Ten people raped me, the escort guards. Everything is visible on the camera,” the inmate stated.
Davitadze also stated that he attempted suicide following the act of violence. He intends to go on a hunger strike if the officers he named are not held accountable.
The Penitentiary Service maintains that when transferred to the “de-escalation room,” a convict is subject to screening and inspection, “to which convict Davitadze responded with a categorical refusal and began hurling verbal abuse at the facility’s staff.” In order to carry out their duties, the officers conducted a “forced search” of the convict. The agency referred to the prisoner’s allegations of sexual assault as a “complete lie.”
“Until now, we have refrained from releasing this footage for one sole reason: an investigation is underway into the case, and we did not want our actions to be perceived by anyone as an attempt to pressure the investigation. However, in light of the high public interest in the matter, the particular sensitivity of the case, and a deliberate attempt by the convict’s family to discredit the agency, the Penitentiary Service made this decision.”
The service also reiterated that continuous video recordings of all movements of convict Giorgi Davitadze within the facility from March 3, 2026, to the present day have been archived. The agency stated its readiness to provide these materials to all interested parties in accordance with the procedures and requirements established by law.
Public Defender of Georgia Levan Ioseliani told media representatives that the issue and the video materials had been thoroughly examined by his office, but no evidence of abuse was found.
“We requested the archival materials and reviewed the video recordings. We found no evidence of physical ill-treatment or violence of any kind. As for the verbal abuse that he also pointed to, we referred the matter to the prosecutor’s office, and the prosecutor’s office opened an investigation. Beyond that, there is nothing more I can tell you,” the Ombudsman stated.
