According to Iako Siranashvili, the lawyer of Tamaz Elizbarashvili, his client was arrested while attempting to take his own life.

According to Siranashvili, Elizbarashvili was about to jump from a balcony after witnessing law enforcement officers assaulting the lawyer and removing him from the house, as well as seeing the condition of his children.

As the lawyer told Interpressnews, Elizbarashvili has started a hunger strike.

“Tamaz Elizbarashvili was attempting to take his own life when he saw me being kicked and beaten and thrown out of the house. When he saw his children crying and that the children were in a bad state, he was about to jump from the balcony. That is why Tamaz was arrested, and he is being charged with disobedience, after being driven to the point of attempting suicide.

“When they tried to take my phone away so that I could not record the investigative actions. Anyone can record a video, especially a lawyer. Apparently, they [the law enforcement officers] wanted to plant a weapon or some prohibited item, and I was not allowing them to do so because I was recording the investigative actions. That is why around 20 people rushed in and attacked me, literally trying to tear the phone out of my hand. When I refused to let them take the phone, they twisted my arms, threw me to the ground and kicked me,” the lawyer said.

Asked when he left the clinic and whether he had sustained injuries, Tamaz Elizbarashvili’s lawyer, Iako Siranashvili, said that he was having difficulty moving and had injuries to various parts of his body.

According to the lawyer, an investigation was launched under Article 333 of the Criminal Code. However, in his assessment, the case should also include crimes covered by Articles 364 and 365, which concern interference with a lawyer’s professional activities.

“I have such injuries that I can barely walk. I have difficulty moving. My left hand hurts badly. My hearing has also deteriorated, and I have swelling around a facial bone. I left the clinic on my own decision because I did not consider it necessary to stay there. The investigation was launched under Article 333, and Articles 364 and 365 must definitely be added, as they concern interference with a lawyer’s professional activities. I am more angry about the obstruction of my professional duties than the beating itself. That is what I am most outraged about, and also by the fact that such serious violence was used against a lawyer. They must invoke another article as well; they cannot limit themselves to Article 333,” the lawyer said.

Regarding the forensic examination of his injuries, Siranashvili said that his health condition was currently poor and that he had not even been able to go to the investigative agency.

“I am feeling very unwell and physically, to this day, I have not even been able to get to the investigative agency. The investigators told me they would conduct a forensic examination, and I hope they will,” the lawyer said.

It should be recalled that Tamaz Elizbarashvili was arrested at his home after his vehicle and apartment were searched. The Ministry of Internal Affairs told Interpressnews that the search of Elizbarashvili’s vehicle was conducted as part of an ongoing investigation into threats and the illegal acquisition and possession of a firearm. According to his lawyer, Elizbarashvili is currently under administrative detention.