National Movement MP claims he was kidnapped by police

(Rustavi 2.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–A member of parliament from the National Movement claims he had was illegally detained by the police last night. The Interior Ministry denies this and has published a video of the detention.

Giorgi Karbelashvili Monday said he was stopped by police at 1am near the village Kvishkheti, and then detained. He said he was taken to the police station in Osiauri and his relatives were not allowed to see him.

Late at night, Giorgi Baramidze, another MP from UNM who has served as interior minister, came to the police station and reprimanding the police officers. He accused them of illegal actions and called them ‘dzaghli’ (dog), a derogatory term used about police before the force was completely reformed about ten years ago.

Karbelashvili claims he was ‘kidnapped’ for six hours and that he has number of body injuries. He thinks it was a provocation.

“I was kidnapped for six hours and I was sure that it was scenario of my liquidation,” he told Rustavi 2.

Later, the Interior Ministry released a video clip and explained that the police stopped the car on Borjomi-Tbilisi highway for violation of traffic regulations. Karbelashvili was driving a black Toyota. When asked to present documents and undergo an alcohol test, the MIA claims, Karbelashvili verbally and physically abused the police. For that reason, he was brought in to the police station.

The MIA’s statement also says Karbelashvili was driving under the influence of alcohol, and other people in his car were also inebriated.

UNM members claim the incident was a planned provocation. Goka Gabashvili from the party said at a press conference on Monday that Karbelashvili was at a dinner to pay tribute to a hero of the 2008 August War, Davit Bliadze. He said the police was too aggressive. They knew where the dinner was held.

“They detained these people, physically harassed them and we couldn’t find out what was happening for the whole night,” he said. He continued that UNM requires an investigation of the case and punishment of police officers.