Georgian Protesters Allege Torture and Fabricated Charges Amid EU Membership Bid Protests

Tbilisi, Georgia – Anti-government demonstrations in Georgia, triggered by the ruling Georgian Dream party's suspension of the country's EU membership bid and disputed parliamentary elections, have escalated into a wave of detentions and severe allegations of inhumane treatment, including torture and fabricated charges against protesters. Two prominent cases, involving Georgian citizen Rezo Kiknadze and Russian national Anton Chechin, highlight the reported abuses within the Georgian justice system and police force.

Rezo Kiknadze: Threats of Sexual Violence and Burial Alive

Rezo Kiknadze, a 27-year-old anti-government demonstrator jailed on criminal charges, recounted harrowing experiences of inhumane treatment and violent threats during his detention. Accused of participating in group violence, a crime punishable by up to six years in prison, Kiknadze denies the charges, as do ten other individuals involved in his case.

Kiknadze described being detained by two men in black inside a metro station while returning from a clinic, then handcuffed and driven to Lisi Lake in Tbilisi. During this journey, officers struck him on the head and roughly snatched his phone when he attempted to record a video, stating, "You won’t need this anymore".

At Lisi Lake, police allegedly pressured Kiknadze to write a false statement asserting that opposition leaders Nika Gvaramia, Zurab Japaridze, and Elene Khoshtaria had paid him ₾500 ($185) to attend protests, supplied him with fireworks, and ordered him to throw objects at riot police. When he resisted, officers reportedly threatened to bury him alive, with one saying, "The tractor is already here, digging the pit, and if he doesn’t write it, let’s bury him alive".

Kiknadze further stated that an officer became aggressive after he criticised police violence against demonstrators, warning him, "every member of riot police has memorised your names and addresses, and if you ever get the chance to come out [from prison], you’ll see what awaits you". He also reported incessant curses and obscene words.

Later, at the police department in Ortachala, the pressure for false testimony continued, accompanied by threats of sexual violence. Kiknadze recalled one officer threatening, "let’s bring him downstairs and put him on an enema tube or on a champagne bottle," to which another replied, "he might soil himself, it’s a dirty job, so let’s put on gloves". He was also threatened multiple times with the planting of illegal items, such as drugs and a gun, to ensure a long prison sentence.

Despite the threats, Kiknadze refused to write the demanded statement, affirming, "I will never blame someone else for what I have done, no matter the threats or promises they make". His lawyer, Archil Museliantsi, confirmed that his client was shown photos of opposition leaders and offered release in exchange for speaking out against them. Kiknadze has remained in pre-trial detention since his arrest.

Anton Chechin: 8.5 Years on Allegedly Planted Drug Charges

Russian citizen Anton Chechin, 26, who actively participated in the anti-government protests, has been sentenced to 8.5 years in prison on drug charges. Chechin vehemently denies the charges, attributing his arrest to political intimidation and asserting that police planted the drugs on him.

Chechin's detention occurred on 4 December 2024, a week after the Georgian Dream party announced the suspension of the country's EU membership bid and protests began. He claims plainclothes officers apprehended him while he was on his way to work. His lawyer, Giorgi Chkheidze, stated that the search was conducted in a car to avoid street cameras or witnesses.

In court, Chechin declared, "My detention can be called political lawlessness. The actions of the police were illegal. They pulled drugs out of my pocket that I had never seen before. The police used force that was unnecessary, meant only to humiliate and intimidate me". Police did not present any video of his search or arrest, claiming his resistance made filming impossible, a claim disputed by the defence.

Chechin, originally from Barnaul, Siberia, left Russia in 2022 to escape political reprisals for his activities supporting the late opposition politician Aleksei Navalny and his participation in anti-war protests against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In Tbilisi, he continued his activism, working with "Emigration for Action," an NGO supporting Ukrainian refugees. He actively joined protests against the Georgian Dream government, including those against controversial foreign agents laws and post-election rallies.

He had experienced repeated pressure from police prior to his arrest, including several monthly searches and a fine for allegedly disobeying police orders during protests in June 2024. He also recalled an incident in November 2024 where plainclothes police officers photographed him, then threatened him with a beating and arrest if he didn't delete photos he had taken of them.

Chechin's case also included allegations of degrading treatment, with his lawyer stating he was slapped twice in the face with his own transportation card and struck on the back of the head. The verdict, announced by Judge Jvebe Nachkebia, led to emotional reactions from his supporters, including his wife, Manana Samkharadze, and prompted court bailiffs to forcibly remove supporters from the building. One supporter reported being assaulted by the head of the bailiffs.

Furthermore, Chechin suffers from a cystic-fibrous formation in his brain and requires surgery, as confirmed by a neurosurgeon at a court hearing.

Broader Context of Political Prosecutions

Chechin is one of six demonstrators facing drug charges that are widely perceived as politically motivated, rather than directly related to the rallies. Like Chechin, other Russian citizens, Anastasia Zinovkina and Artem Gribul, detained in December on drug charges, have also denied them and linked their arrests to protest participation. While two protesters, Tedo Abramov and Giorgi Akhobadze, were acquitted of drug-related offenses due to insufficient evidence, three others, including Zinovkina and Gribul, are still awaiting verdicts.

The initial phase of the protests saw heavy clashes and brutal police violence against demonstrators and journalists. Hundreds have been detained, with over 50 criminal cases launched, and several protesters have already been convicted and sentenced to years in prison. The release of these prisoners and calls for new parliamentary elections have become central demands of the demonstrators.

Among those recently sentenced is also an Azerbaijani citizen, Insaf Aliyev, from the village of Karajalar in Georgia's Gardabani district, who received a two-year prison sentence for "group violence".