Georgian civil society has been speaking for years about the problems of excessive use of force, ill-treatment, and impunity within the police system. These are no longer isolated actions by individual officers; they have become state policy, for which Bidzina Ivanishvili and the ruling party bear responsibility, according to a statement by Transparency International Georgia, commenting on footage aired by TV Pirveli showing law enforcement officers beating citizens inside a police station.

According to the organization, the ruling party’s approach and Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s repeatedly stated policy of “zero sympathy” have contributed to the alarming situation that society has been witnessing on a daily basis in recent months.

“Transparency International Georgia” responded to a report aired on TV Pirveli’s program Nodar Meladze’s Saturday, which showed police officers beating citizens and subjecting them to inhuman treatment.

The organization stated that Georgian civil society has long warned about excessive use of force, ill-treatment, and impunity within the police system. Due to the frequency of such incidents, civil society groups have for years called for institutional reforms and the creation of effective investigative mechanisms.

According to the statement, although the government established the Special Investigation Service several years ago, it failed to resolve the problem in any meaningful way. Furthermore, the head of the agency, Koka Katsitadze, was placed under the United Kingdom’s Magnitsky sanctions regime on the grounds that allegations of systematic torture, inhuman, and degrading treatment committed by police officers had not been effectively investigated.

The organization argues that instead of addressing this serious issue, Georgian Dream and its founder Bidzina Ivanishvili abolished the Special Investigation Service altogether. It further claims that, beyond political rhetoric, the authorities have established a practice of ignoring police violence, showing zero sympathy toward victims, and allowing impunity.

As an example, the statement cites reports that a police officer arrested in February 2026 on charges of exceeding official authority against a minor was released on bail by the court after spending only a few months in detention. It also notes that the alleged torture and inhuman treatment of nearly 300 individuals by police forces has yet to be effectively investigated.

“The ruling party’s approach and Irakli Kobakhidze’s repeatedly expressed policy of zero sympathy are what have led to the disturbing reality society has been witnessing every day in recent months. For years now, these have not been arbitrary actions by individual police officers; they represent state policy, for which Bidzina Ivanishvili and the ruling party bear responsibility,” the statement says.

The organization also recalled that it has documented and raised concerns for years regarding torture, beatings, unlawful strip searches, degrading treatment, and other serious violations committed by police officers.