Special Penitentiary Service releases footage of Giorgi Davitadze’s transfer to and stay in de-escalation cell on December 21, 2025
The Special Penitentiary Service has released video footage showing convicted prisoner Giorgi Davitadze being transferred to and staying in a de-escalation cell on December 21, 2025.
The footage concerns the episode in which, according to Davitadze, he was subjected to sexual violence.
“Given the high level of public interest, the Special Penitentiary Service is releasing video footage showing convicted prisoner Giorgi Davitadze’s transfer to and stay in the de-escalation cell on December 21, 2025, during which, according to the prisoner, he was subjected to sexual violence. This is a complete lie.
“We would also like to explain the procedure for placing a prisoner in a de-escalation room. In accordance with the regulations of the penitentiary institution and the Penitentiary Code, a prisoner is subject to inspection and examination when being transferred to a de-escalation cell. Davitadze categorically refused to undergo the inspection and began verbally insulting institution staff. The footage shows that only after this, in order to perform their assigned duties, institution employees forcibly carried out the inspection, using an electronic body scanner.
“We refrained from releasing the footage until now for one reason only: an investigation into the case is ongoing, and we did not want our actions to be perceived by anyone as an attempt to exert pressure on the investigation. However, given the high level of public interest in the matter, the particular sensitivity of the case, and what the Penitentiary Service describes as a deliberate attempt by the prisoner’s family to discredit the agency, the Service decided to release the footage.
“In addition, as Special Penitentiary Service Director General Giorgi Pataridze stated in a September 23 statement this year, by his decision, continuous video footage documenting all of convicted prisoner Giorgi Davitadze’s movements within the penitentiary institution has been archived from March 3, 2026, to the present. The Special Penitentiary Service is ready to provide this material to all interested parties in accordance with the procedures and requirements established by law,” the statement said.
