In Georgia, activist accuses police of sexual harassment during detention at rally
Kyiv • UNN
Georgian activist Natia Dzidziguri reported being sexually harassed by police after being detained at a protest rally. The incident occurred during the dispersal of a tent camp on Chavchavadze Avenue on November 19.
Georgian activist Natia Dzidziguri said she was sexually harassed by police after being detained at a protest rally in Tbilisi, UNN reports with reference to Novosti Georgia.
It was a rally demanding new parliamentary elections on November 19. At dawn, police began dispersing the tent camp on Chavchavadze Avenue. Protesters report that excessive force was used against them, and several demonstrators had to be hospitalized.
"My detention happened very unexpectedly. I was on the sidewalk when I saw one guy, Rezi Dumbadze, being dragged into a car. He was being dragged by his hair, ten policemen were pulling him behind his back. As soon as I saw it all, I went up to the policeman and said: don't detain him.
One of the policemen, who was very aggressive towards me before the arrest, as soon as he saw me, immediately went to the mat, cursed me and put me in the detention car. In the car, the policemen sexually harassed me," Dzidziguri said in the 17th Floor program on Formula TV.
According to the activist, she spent the entire way to the police station on her knees in the car, and the police treated her humiliatingly.
"I asked to be put in a chair, saying that we were moving in violation of the rules. This was followed by a retort: "Should we fasten you in?"... I was on my knees the whole way and was transported like that," the young woman says.
Dzidziguri claims that the report against her was also drawn up with violations. The document states that the detention was carried out by a female patrol police inspector, although, according to the activist, the arrest was actually made by one of the heads of the Department for Special Assignments.
"I can identify all the faces. I can also recognize the police officer who detained me," said Dzidziguri.
The statement has not yet been commented on by the Georgian Interior Ministry or the Special Investigation Service. The latter is investigating the alleged excessive use of force by police during the dispersal of the rally. Dzidziguri did not specify whether she was summoned for questioning as part of the investigation.
On November 19, police detained a total of 16 people. A criminal case was opened against one of them, 21-year-old Mate David. He is accused of assaulting police officers.
