Interior Minister, Giorgi Mgebrishvili, said that the police plan to ask the court to issue arrest warrants for perpetrators in violent incident in the village of Kortskheli during local by-election on May 22.
Several leaders of the opposition UNM party and its activists were beaten by a group of GDDG supporters and members with athletic builds, who were mobilized outside the polling station in the village.
The police reaction to the incident, as well as its failure to prevent it, was criticized by the rights groups; no one has yet been either charged or arrested over the violence two days ago, which was filmed by several TV crews.
“I understand public emotions,” Mgebrishvili said, apparently referring to complaints over delay in police reaction to the incident, “but investigation cannot be built on emotions, there are legal procedures, which should be observed. Intensive investigation is underway.”
“We will request court for arrest warrants in coming days, in coming hours for those persons who have already been identified,” said Mgebrishvili, who condemned the violence.
PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili instructed on May 23 the Ministry of Justice to draft a bill that would toughen punishment for election-related violence. Critics responded that the problem is not in legislation, but in failure to properly apply already existing laws by the authorities, which should have conducted efficient investigation without delay.
“It’s hypocritical to speak about toughening law in the condition when no one is held responsible for [the Kortskheli violence],” said UNM parliamentary minority leader, MP Davit Bakradze, who met Tbilisi-based foreign diplomats to brief them about the incident.
