President on minor’s death: we must make major changes to avoid such tragedies

Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has responded to the death of 15-year-old Luka Siradze, who jumped from the ninth floor of a building after being subjected to alleged psychological pressure at Didube police station in Tbilisi, saying that “we must make major changes to avoid such tragedies.” 

The death of a 15-year-old boy is a big tragedy for the state. I share the hard moments with the family and wish them to stand strong in this very difficult time,” Zurabishvili wrote. 

The family says that Siradze attempted suicide after his interrogation at Didube police station on December 10 and 11 for allegedly damaging the property of a private Mtsvane School in Tbilisi and writing vulgar phrases on its walls.

The family says that the minor was forced to admit to the crime on December 10, while on December 11 the minor changed his testimony and said that he was innocent, before jumping from the ninth floor. 

Luka Siradze, who jumped from the ninth floor after his interrogation at a police station on December 11, died early yesterday at a hospital. 

Siradze died at Iashvili hospital in Tbilisi earlier yesterday due to the severe injuries he suffered during the suicide attempt. . 

On December 16 the Georgian Interior Ministry dismissed allegations by the family, stating that the minor was interrogated twice “in the presence of his parents.” 

However, the ministry confirmed that the minor spent “only 3-4 minutes alone” with one of the police officers before the beginning of  the interrogation as the “minor had a conflict with his mother and the police officer tried to calm the situation.” 

Shortly after the minor’s death a female investigator Mariana Choloiani was detained for allegedly placing psychological pressure on Siradze. 

Choloiani was hospitalised after several hours of detention late yesterday and still remains in a hospital.