Davit Peikrishvili’s Mother: Charges should have been filed under the article of torture, how dare you apply a 3-year article? Why is Gicho Margvelashvili not arrested? Is Zautashvili a different group? And to Paata Salia, I say: write your resignation and leave!

According to Nino Abramishvili, the mother of Davit Peikrishvili, the charges filed against 7 individuals—including former Director of the Penitentiary Service Giorgi Pataridze and former Director of Gldani Establishment No. 8 Ramaz Pirtskhalava—over the beating of her son carry an incorrect legal qualification.

As Abramishvili stated in an interview with Interpressnews, the defendants should be charged under the article of group torture.

Abramishvili is demanding that Minister of Justice Paata Salia resign from his post.

"I am not satisfied with the qualification. This was not merely violence; violence implies a one-time act, whereas this was torture. It was committed as a group, and they all worked together as a group—Pataridze, Pirtskhalava, Vato and Shota Kipiani, Gotsiridze, Bilanishvili, Kacharava. Yesterday, the prosecutor clearly voiced the information that on October 19, the prosecutor had Datuna call his family; we did not request this, nor did Datuna request it. The prosecutor granted permission to make the call, which means that the prosecutor and the Vake police investigators who participated in Datuna’s arrest were working as a group. Datuna called [after the violence] and insistently demanded, 'I am fine, do not come here.' This crime is a group effort. If there is to be punishment, the state must understand its share of responsibility, and so must the Minister of Justice. I urge the government: think about what you are doing! If you do not punish this entire gang exemplarily, you will not be able to prove anything to the people. Why is Gicho Margvelashvili not arrested? Why were charges not brought against Zautashvili? Were they a different group?

I advise Paata Salia to leave his job on his own; when a person is not competent, he should resign himself.

Salia was attending concerts and telling us fairy tales about how good the conditions are in prison. At that time, he knew a person had been beaten, while I, an ordinary person, was standing in the street from morning till night demanding the truth. He mocked me! He didn't just mock me; he mocked the mother of every prisoner. The only person who said that very same day that signs of a crime were visible was Gia Volski. Only that one person managed to say this! This man [Salia] walked around laughing, as if everything were going well for him! Write your resignation and leave! What right does he have to still be in office today?

Did he know? — That's bad. Did he not know? — That's even worse; both are bad! The right thing is for him to muster the courage and leave his post; he cannot manage it!

How can you think the prison warden would do all this on his own? And Pataridze without the State Security Service (SUS) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA)? Then we all need to rise up, our cause is lost!" Abramishvili declared.

When asked whether she is satisfied with the qualification of the charges brought against Giorgi Pataridze and Ramaz Pirtskhalava, Peikrishvili's mother gave a negative answer.

"None of the charges filed are satisfactory; this is throwing dust in our eyes, because everyone knows perfectly well that for 4 nights and 5 days, employees of the police and SUS were helping this gang from the outside, as well as the penitentiary service and the prison warden—this is a gang linked together like a chain! Come on, just once, can't you voice the truth? You won't be able to cover anything up; the situation in the state is such that you have no choice but to transparently name every first and last name and sentence them to what they deserve! How dare you apply 3 years? Just because the person didn't die?" Abramishvili stated.

She is demanding the identification of those who ordered the violence against her son.

"That is why it is interesting to know who ordered it, that they are covering for them like this? Had this happened on the street, they would have laid out the qualification properly and arrested everyone. Such a massive state crime occurred, and we are talking about 2–3 years? Are you mocking us?

The Prosecutor's Office knows very well what articles should be brought against [Pataridze and Pirtskhalava]; they should also be stripped of the right to work in the penitentiary system for their entire lives. These individuals who committed a state crime must be punished exemplarily. Make no mistake, this is a state crime—my son was not beaten on the street, my son was beaten in prison, which is a state institution!" Abramishvili said.

When asked whether she expects Pataridze and Pirtskhalava to be arrested, she replied:

"I definitely expect it; otherwise, they will not be able to silence me! I will definitely appeal to Strasbourg—I am already preparing the documents—I will not stay silent!! 3 years for Vato Kipiani for what he has done? They should have filed charges under the article of torture; know that you will not get away with this!" Abramishvili declared.

Background: The Prosecutor's Office has filed charges in connection with the prison cell beating of inmate Davit Peikrishvili, who is linked to criminal circles, against former Director General of the Special Penitentiary Service Giorgi Pataridze, former Director of Penitentiary Establishment No. 8 Ramaz Pirtskhalava, and so-called criminal authorities: Vato Kipiani, Shota Kipiani, Avtandil Bilanishvili, Pavle Gotsiridze, and Davit Kacharava.

The investigation accuses Giorgi Pataridze of exceeding official authority, and Ramaz Pirtskhalava of abuse of official authority—offenses punishable by up to three years in prison. The five inmates were charged with intentional less grave bodily injury committed as a group, which carries a sentence of 4 to 6 years of imprisonment. According to the investigation, on October 16, 2026, at Vato Kipiani's request and upon the orders of Pataridze and Pirtskhalava, the five inmates were placed in Peikrishvili's cell in gross violation of prison regulations, where they subjected him to group physical violence until October 20, leaving him with four fractured ribs, spinal fractures, and a concussion.