Starting from October 16, 2014, case proceedings are under way at the Centre of the Child’s Rights of the Public Defender’s Office on a possible act of violence (beating) towards a student with disabilities at one of the private pre-school educational establishments.

The Public Defender’s Office of Georgia requested documentation necessary to study the case to be sent from the Chief Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia and LEPL Levan Samkharauli National Forensics Bureau. For the purpose of receiving additional information representatives of the Public Defender met with teachers of the child at the pres-school educational institution, while Ucha Nanuashvili personally had a meeting with the child’s mother at the office of the Public Defender.

Based on factual circumstances determined by the Centre of the Child’s Rights of the Public Defender with regards to the case, an investigation is under way in Tbilisi Main Division of the Patrol Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia under the first part of the Article 125 (beating) of the Criminal Code of Georgia. In the framework of the investigative actions, witnesses were questioned, trasological and forensic examinations scheduled and conducted but criminal persecution against a specific person has not been started.

It should be noted that according to a legal representative of the child – mother – a psychologist was not involved at none of the stages of the investigative proceedings. Also, the process of granting the status of the injured party was delayed.

The Public Defender of Georgia calls on the Chief Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia to conduct the investigation in a reasonable timeframe and use all legal leverage at their disposal to avoid delay of the investigation and impartial truth on the case to be determined. Also, constitutional rights and freedoms of participants of the criminal case and genuine interests of the victim of violence should be protected during all stages of the case proceedings.

The Public Defender continues to study the case and monitor progress of the investigation.