The Ministry of Internal Affairs responds to information disseminated by one media outlet alleging that law enforcement officers in Gori physically assaulted a young man.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the reports claiming that police officers physically abused a young man are false and represent disinformation aimed at the deliberate discreditation of the ministry and each individual police officer.

“The Ministry of Internal Affairs addresses the disinformation spread by a media outlet claiming that law enforcement officers physically assaulted a young man in the city of Gori. On January 3 of this year, officers of the Gori District Division of the Shida Kartli Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs administratively detained a citizen born in 2000 who was in an intoxicated state, behaving aggressively, and had damaged a citizen’s vehicle.

During the detention process at the scene, a person accompanying him - born in 2005, previously convicted and under a suspended sentence, Luka Topchishvili - interfered with the performance of official duties by law enforcement officers and physically assaulted police officers. Specifically, he punched a police officer in the face, after which he attempted to flee and tried to assault another police officer who pursued him. However, law enforcement officers detained him for resisting law enforcement officers with violence while they were performing official duties, under Article 353 of the Criminal Code.

The information claiming that police officers physically assaulted a young man is false and constitutes disinformation aimed at the deliberate discreditation of the ministry and each individual police officer. Unfortunately, in recent times, alongside the unprecedented fight against crime, there has been an increase in cases where certain media outlets make absolutely false accusations against police officers. In this regard, the Ministry of Internal Affairs will not tolerate the deliberate discreditation of police officers and will ensure that the public is thoroughly informed about all such cases and that purveyors of disinformation are exposed,” the statement reads.