“I want to remind everyone that it was precisely the brutal actions and unjust treatment within prisons that led to the fall of the previous regime. Ultimately, the responsibility for all of this rests not only with those who issue the orders but also with those who carry them out,” stated former President of Georgia, Salome Zourabichvili, during today’s briefing.
Zourabichvili emphasised that chaos pervades the country across all spheres.
“We see what is happening in the courts today in Georgia—courts that no longer adhere to any standards, merely executing the commands of the authorities without independence. Additionally, what we learned today about the conditions in prisons is deeply concerning. The situation of Giorgi Bachiashvili is alarming. It is unacceptable that basic democratic standards are ignored in detention facilities. What is happening now is outrageous—beatings of inmates in their cells, arbitrary transfers to clinics without warning, explanation, or transparency. These are clear violations of human rights. I question where the Public Defender is in all this—has he responded adequately? Sadly, it seems this institution is no longer fully fulfilling its responsibilities. Insecurity and lawlessness now dominate this country.
I want to remind everyone that it was precisely the brutal actions and unjust treatment in prisons that led to the fall of the previous regime. Therefore, everyone must understand that responsibility ultimately lies not only with those who issue the orders but also with those who carry them out without question and are willing to participate in such brutal behaviour. This is not in line with Georgia’s traditions, nor with the laws and values we have been building and upholding for centuries. This is a different regime—this is a different country—and we will not tolerate this for a single minute. It is now time for society, for the broader public, to see what is happening, to stop looking elsewhere, because this concerns all of us—today and in the future,” stated Salome Zourabichvili.
Giorgi Bachiashvili, the former head of Georgia’s Co-Investment Fund, has released a statement from penitentiary facility No. 18, claiming he was violently assaulted in his prison cell by an unidentified individual.
