Georgia: Torture Reported in Politically Motivated Case Illustrates Widening Impunity

On July 11, 2025 Mr. Bachiashvili was physically assaulted in Gldani Penitentiary No. 8, in Tbilisi, allegedly by another inmate with instigation of the prison administration. The injuries sustained amount to torture and/or inhuman treatment, confirmed by medical professionals and lawyers. Mr. Bachiashvili personally testified about the July 11 incident during an appellate court hearing on July 30, 2025.

Following the incident, Mr. Bachiashvili was denied immediate access to his lawyer and the Public Defender. Only after a hunger strike, the next day on July 12 in the evening, he was provided an opportunity to contact the Public Defender’s Office, who informed Bachiashvili’s lawyers about the incident. However, these were not allowed to visit him under the argument that it was not a working day.

Despite Mr. Bachiashvili providing testimony publicly and the existence of camera footage, no effective investigation has been initiated. His lawyers’ requests for evidence preservation and his recognition as a victim have been ignored.

We recall the responsibility of the prison administration and the Penitentiary Service to guarantee the safety and integrity of prisoners, reiterating that denying contact with the outside world is an unjustifiable measure. Moreover, we remind the Georgian authorities of the obligation of the effective investigation of alleged torture and ill-treatment.

This case is emblematic of systemic problems in Georgia’s penitentiary and justice systems, including lack of independence in investigations (the Ministry of Justice investigates abuses by its own subordinate agency), absence of victim protection, and disregard for basic procedural guarantees.

Mr. Bachiashvili’s case also reflects the broader politicisation of justice in Georgia. In May 2025, he was sentenced in absentia to 11 years in prison on charges of embezzlement and money laundering in a case brought by the founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party. His conviction raised serious concerns about due process and the absence of objective evidence. He was later detained under contested circumstances, reporting abduction abroad, incommunicado detention, and forcible transfer to Georgia—despite prior warnings from his legal team of the risk of torture.

OMCT and the HRC are urging the Georgian authorities to:

• Conduct an immediate, independent and impartial investigation into the allegations of torture and ill-treatment, to identify and hold accountable those responsible in accordance with international standards;
• Guarantee Mr. Bachiashvili’s physical and psychological safety and provide him with immediate and unrestricted access to outside communication, particularly to his lawyer.
• End impunity for torture and politically motivated prosecutions by strengthening oversight of the penitentiary system, ensuring the independence of investigative bodies, and protecting human rights defenders, journalists, and prisoners from reprisals.