Non-governmental organizations providing legal assistance to over 400 people detained during the protests report that peaceful demonstrators have yet to have their personal belongings, which were illegally and arbitrarily confiscated during their arrest, returned.
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As Nona Kurdovanidze, the chairwoman of the Georgian Young Lawyers Association, stated at a briefing today, special forces officers were involved in the seizure of items in some cases. Among the confiscated items are phones, headphones, a laptop, a bag, house and car keys, ID cards, a wallet, and more.
"When detainees were transferred to departments or temporary detention centers, the relevant documents indicated that they had no items upon arrival at the institution. There were instances when mobile phones were confiscated from detainees at the department, yet these items were not returned to the individuals upon their release," Nona Kurdovanidze noted.
According to him, most of the detainees' belongings were not confiscated in accordance with the procedure established by law. Instead, individual law enforcement officers illegally appropriated them or disposed of them as a form of punishment to prevent the detainees from retrieving their items.
"Some victims reported that their personal belongings and phones were confiscated under threats to their lives and health. In certain cases, the victims were able to determine the location of their phones, which the Special Investigation Service has been informed about; however, there has been no response from the agency to date. For instance, one victim's phone was stolen in the city of Gori. In several cases, mobile phones were found on the premises of administrative buildings of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Parliament, and other state agencies. The analysis of these facts shows that, in a number of cases, the seizure of items was carried out for unlawful appropriation, and this action had no connection to legal procedures," Kurdovanidze said.
To date, the detainees have no information regarding when the confiscated items will be returned, and the whereabouts of certain items remain unknown to them.
Non-governmental organizations deem it essential to conduct an objective investigation and hold accountable those involved in the arbitrary and illegal seizure and appropriation of items.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs denies the existence of any illegal practice related to the seizure or appropriation of items. "The claim that employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs illegally seized personal belongings from detainees is false and serves only to discredit the agency and law enforcement officers," the ministry stated. The agency asserts that legally confiscated personal belongings were returned to the detainees at temporary detention centers upon their release.
