Police Investigates Pupil Abuse at Marneuli School

The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) told Civil.ge on October 3 that it launched an investigation into child abuse reports by Rakhman Musaev, a Georgian language and literature teacher. The photos surfaced on social and mainstream media, showing reportedly fourth year elementary school pupils (aged 9-10) made to kneel in punishment at the school in Kirikhlo village, Marneuli Municipality.

According to the Ministry, the investigation is being carried out under Article 150 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, foreseeing punishment for coercion.

Photos of Musaev, who is also a Georgian Dream member of the Marneuli Local Council (Sakrebulo), forcing children to kneel as punishment first emerged on 2 October.

According to available reports, the reason for Musaev’s punishment was that the students were not studying well. According to media reports, Musaev took the photo himself to share with the children’s parents.

Mehman Musaev, the director of the Kirikhlo village school and Rakhman’s uncle, told Mtavari Arkhi TV yesterday that his nephew has already been dismissed.

Khanali Gakhramanov, head of the Marneuli resource center, told Netgazeti that “such an action is unacceptable for both the resource center and the school.” According to Gakhramanov, this is the first such incident that they have become aware of.

Mtavari Arkhi TV also reported, that Musaev also submitted his resignation from the Marneuli Local Council, where he represented the ruling Georgian Dream. This was confirmed by the Council’s Chairperson, Amiran Giorgadze.

Local activist Samira Bayramova, wrote on Facebook yesterday that this is not the first such case and the reason is the “politicization of the school.” “School principals play a political role rather than an educational one,” she said.

Civil.ge has contacted the Georgian Dream party for comment.

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