Public Defender releases statement in convict Giorgi Davitadze’s case

The Public Defender’s Office released a statement in the case of convicted individual Giorgi Davitadze, taking into account intense public interest.

Based on the statement, on December 26, 2025, Giorgi Davitadze’s lawyer submitted a statement to the Public Defender’s Office, reporting that the prisoner had been subjected to ill-treatment. That same day, a representative of the Public Defender visited and interviewed the convicted person at #6 Penitentiary Facility.

“The convict indicated that on December 20-21, 2025, officers of the #6 Penitentiary Facility violated his rights, including through ill-treatment and sexual violence.

The Public Defender immediately notified the General Prosecutor’s Office, which launched an investigation in the case. In addition, the Public Defender’s Office addressed the Special Penitentiary Service with a request to archive video recordings covering the period specified by the prisoner. Both the convicted person and their lawyer have been informed of the findings resulting from the review of the video footage by the Office of the Public Defender.

Although the details of the violence recounted by the prisoner were not confirmed by the reviewed footage, the verification of the convicted person’s complaint must be carried out based on the collection and cross-referencing of all possible evidence by the investigation.

Therefore, the Public Defender’s Office continues to monitor the investigation and calls on the Prosecutor’s Office to present the investigation findings to the society,” reads the statement.

The Special Penitentiary Service released CCTV footage showing how convict Giorgi Davitadze was transferred to a de-escalation cell and his subsequent stay there on 21 December 2025.

According to the Service, the decision to publish the video footage was prompted by intense public interest, the sensitive nature of the case, and an allegedly deliberate campaign by the inmate’s family to defame the agency.

Earlier today, before releasing the video, the Special Penitentiary Service issued a preliminary statement regarding Giorgi Davitadze, categorically denying claims that staff members at Penitentiary Facility No. 6 had subjected him to sexual violence.