Georgian Police Arrest Suspect in Connection with Murder in Occupied Gali
On February 29, the employees of the occupied Gali police department, David Kvekveskiri was arrested in Zugdidi, in connection with the brutal murder of Georgian citizen Temur (Vitali) Karbaia, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia confirmed to Civil.ge. Kvekveskiri was detained on charges related to the illegal purchase and storage of firearms, according to Article 236 of the Criminal Code.
According to Ekho Kavkaza, which cites the de-facto Abkhaz prosecutor’s office, on December 6, 2023, Kvekveskiri detained Temur Karbaia and conducted an illegal body search. When Karbaia allegedly began using obscene language, Kvekveskiri reportedly beat him. Zarakua and Abshilava, employees of the occupied Gali police department, then joined in and physically assaulted Karbaia. Both of the perpetrators were arrested on February 10.
The beating caused bodily harm to Karbaia in the form of blunt trauma to the chest on the left with a fracture of four ribs, bruising on the upper and lower eyelids of the right eye. He was taken to a temporary detention center until his release on December 7. Karbaia passed away on December 9 at Sokhumi hospital, where he had been transferred from Gali hospital the day before “due to poor health.”
The three were reportedly arrested in December in occupied Gali region in connection with the murder, but later released according to local Georgian media.
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