"Mamuka Mdinaradze is on his way to prison. One does not kick a man when he is down, but I will say this: let him not lose his shoulder insignia on the road to prison. He didn't hold the rank of general—he was a lieutenant when I beat him, and I intend to finish what I started," stated convicted politician Aleko Elisashvili during the court hearing.

As for Elisashvili's own case, the imprisoned politician noted that no investigation has even been launched against the individual who subjected him to inhumane treatment. The Prosecutor's Office has 30 witnesses regarding the sole issue of whether I actually called a sadistic police officer a "non-man" [scoundrel]. I did call him that!

Investigators came to the prison and the state wasted so much paper, ink, and fuel just to establish whether I had truly called him a "scoundrel." I did call him that; I don't deny it!

Two offenses were discussed during that incident: first, they wouldn't remove my handcuffs for four hours, and my left hand was bleeding. I kept telling that specific officer, "At least fasten the handcuffs in front of me." He was forbidding his subordinate officer from taking them off. Two police officers had arrived at the scene. I praised one because he acted like a decent human being. I called the other one a "scoundrel."

When I asked for water, one of them tried to hand it to me, but Chipashvili—a true scoundrel—told him not to let me drink. They could see that my left hand was bleeding and my wrists were torn open.

That police officer took pleasure in watching the blood flow from my wrists; he was happy. I am not making anything up; and the second "offense" was that I called such a person a scoundrel and even bastard, and... He deserved to be called a 'bastard,' too."

This police officer is currently on active duty.

This is the kind of country we live in. Just look at the country we live in. It’s not that I personally suffered any loss; I am simply dumbfounded—what kind of people work in the police force? Where is the investigation into that case? They dropped it! They claimed there were no signs of a crime.

It was documented in the detention center that my hands were badly lacerated. I wouldn't have slashed myself, would I? I even received medical treatment there; they treated my wrists for two weeks. Has anyone shown any interest in that? Or perhaps I injured my own wrists?...

Mamuka Mdinaradze is heading for prison. One doesn't kick a man when he's down, but I will say this: let him not lose his shoulder insignia on the road to prison. He didn't hold the rank of general—he was a lieutenant when I beat him, and I intend to finish what I started," stated Aleko Elisashvili.

For the record, a total of four criminal cases have been brought against Aleko Elisashvili; in one of them—involving an attempted terrorist act—he has been convicted and sentenced to 13 years in prison. In addition, he has been charged with committing a terrorist act involving the setting of a fire in the court archives building. The politician also faces charges of contempt of court, specifically for calling police officer Shota Chipashvili a "scoundrel" (*arakatsi*). Elisashvili is further accused of persecuting Ali Babaev—a co-founder of the "Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia" party—on political grounds.