The Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia has recommended that the Ministry of Justice suspend the powers of Giorgi Pataridze, Director General of the Special Penitentiary Service. The case concerns the alleged beating of Davit Peikrishvili. However, the prosecutor’s office stated that no guilt on Pataridze’s part has been established within the investigation at this stage.
“The aforementioned criminal case was transferred for investigation from the General Inspection of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia to the investigative division of the General Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia. All necessary investigative and procedural actions are being carried out intensively in the criminal case.
At the same time, the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia recommended that the Ministry of Justice of Georgia suspend the powers of Giorgi Pataridze, Director General of the Special Penitentiary Service of the Ministry of Justice,” the Ministry of Justice stated.
Davit Peikrishvili, who stated that multiple individuals in his cell—including Vato Kipiani and Avtandil Bilanishvili (“Katsro”)—inflicted bodily injuries on him, was transferred to the Vivamedi clinic, where he required surgery. According to his lawyer, Davit Peikrishvili sustained broken ribs, facial bone fractures, and head trauma.
The Penitentiary Service denied the beating until the night of October 20, when the Ministry of Justice issued a statement confirming that “based on information publicly circulated in the media, an investigation has been launched into the infliction of bodily harm on inmate Davit Peikrishvili.”
In addition, Davit’s brother, Giorgi Peikrishvili, inflicted injuries upon himself.
Twin brothers Davit and Giorgi Peikrishvili, whose names have been linked to a series of criminal feuds, were originally detained on September 22 in connection with two separate criminal cases involving charges of gang violence and extortion. However, on October 2, it emerged that a new case had been opened against the detained Peikrishvili brothers, charging them with the illegal laundering of 10 million lari.
As for Vato Kipiani and Avto Bilanishvili (“Katsro”), who are known as criminal authorities (bosses) in the underworld, they were detained on October 15 in connection with a restaurant brawl.
According to the lawyer’s statements, Bilanishvili and Kipiani, along with other individuals, were placed in the very cell where Davit Peikrishvili was being held.
All the aforementioned inmates are currently being held at Gldani Prison No. 8 (Penitentiary Facility No. 8 in Tbilisi).
Notably, Vato Kipiani had previously been accused of plotting to assassinate the Peikrishvili brothers. In particular, in 2020, the State Security Service of Georgia released information that a joint operation with the Security Service of Ukraine had thwarted the contract killing of the Peikrishvili brothers. According to the prosecution, the attack was being organized by criminal boss Vato Kipiani, who was residing in Ukraine at the time. Kipiani was detained in connection with this case in 2021 after being deported from Ukraine to Georgia. However, according to Kipiani’s lawyer, after spending nine months in custody, he was released because the court found his guilt in the attempted assassination of the Peikrishvili brothers unproven.