NGOs demand state inspector investigate murder involving Interior Ministry employee
NGOs demand state inspector investigate murder involving Interior Ministry employee. Photo: RFE/RL.
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Eight non-governmental organizations (NGOs) has demanded the State Inspector’s office investigate the recent murder of 24-year-old Murad Tsurtsumia who died in an incident involving Interior Ministry employee Zurab Popkhadze.
The main aim of State Inspector’s office is to study alleged offences committed by law enforcers. One of the main demands of local organizations and international partners has been over the years such crimes to be investigated by an independent and politically neutral body”, reads the statement.
The statement reads that the members of NGOs do not agree with the content of the statement of State Inspector’s office, which says that as the prosecution is investigating the case, it is beyond their competence to conduct investigation.
The State Inspector has the right to be fully acquainted with the case and apply to the Prosecutor’s Office to request transfer of the case”, reads the statement.
- Political unity Lelo demands state inspector investigate murder involving Interior Ministry employee
The statement is signed by:
Georgian Democratic Initiative (GDI), Human Rights Education and Monitoring Centre (EMC), Human Rights Centre (HRC), Transparency International Georgia (TI), International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED), Georgian Young Lawyer’s Association (GYLA), Open Society Georgia Foundation (OSGF) and Institute for Development of Freedom of Information.
The Prosecutor’s Office reports that Tsurtsumia and his brother attempted stealing Zurab Popkhadze’s car (employee of Interior Ministry) late on January 2, near a cemetery of Varketili district, in the outskirts of Tbilisi, which led to a physical confrontation.
Tsurtsumia died due to the injuries he received during an altercation with Popkhadze.
Political unity Lelo for Georgia has demanded the State Inspector’s office investigate the recent murder of 24-year-old Murad Tsurtsumia who died in an incident involving Interior Ministry employee Zurab Popkhadze.
The Georgian Interior Ministry has dismissed allegations by the family of a 15-year-old of allegedly applying psychological pressure at Tbilisi Didube-Chugureti police station last week, which may have led to a suicide attempt by the minor.
A new, independent agency, the State Inspector’s Office, which replaced the Personal Data Protection Inspector’s Office back in July 2019, will begin its function to investigate possible crimes committed by law enforcers and state officials starting November 1.An event was held earlier today to mark the upcoming launch of the work of the agency and was attended by top Georgian officials.
The government of Georgia has allowed for the creation of the State Inspector’s Service that will study alleged offences committed by law enforcers, a decision that has long been requested by the civil sector and the opposition.
The State Inspector’s Service launched criminal prosecution against five law enforcers in 2019 throughout Georgia, the State Inspector Londa Toloraia said while delivering an annual report to members of parliament earlier today.