Since November 28, during ongoing peaceful demonstrations, numerous violations have been observed regarding detained individuals, including the illegal confiscation or appropriation of their personal belongings, said the Chairperson of the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association (GYLA), Nona Kurdovanidze, during a briefing.

According to Kurdovanidze, many detainees reported that after their detention, their personal items were confiscated, including phones, headphones, laptops, bags, house and car keys, ID cards, wallets, and other possessions.

She noted that some detainees claimed law enforcement officers demanded their phone passwords and used violence when they refused to comply.

“There were cases where detainees’ phones were confiscated at police stations but were not returned upon their release. In some instances, members of special forces participated in the confiscation, and documents prepared during their transfer to detention facilities stated that the detainees had no personal items at the time of arrival.

It is worth noting that, in most cases, the confiscation of belongings did not follow legal procedures. Instead, some law enforcement officers either unlawfully appropriated the items or disposed of them to punish the detainees, thereby preventing the possibility of their return,” Kurdovanidze stated.

According to GYLA’s Chairperson, some victims claim their personal items and phones were taken under threats to their life and health.

“In some cases, victims managed to track the location of their phones, which has been reported to the relevant investigative bodies. However, there has been no response from the authorities. For instance, one victim’s phone was activated in the city of Gori. In other cases, mobile phones were located within the premises of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Parliament, and other government buildings.

Analysis of these incidents indicates that, in certain cases, items were confiscated with the intent of unlawful appropriation, with no connection to legal procedures.

As of now, detainees have no information on when, or if, their confiscated items will be returned, nor is the whereabouts of some belongings known. It is crucial to conduct an impartial investigation into these cases with appropriate legal qualifications and to hold accountable those involved in the arbitrary and illegal confiscation or appropriation of personal items,” Kurdovanidze concluded.