Police investigating murder of 14-year-old in Georgia’s east

The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs launched an investigation into the murder of a 14-year-old girl in Georgia’s eastern Sagarejo municipality, the Ministry confirmed to the media on Friday.

According to the media reports, the minor was killed by her husband, with whom she was in an unregistered marriage.

Public Defender Levan Ioseliani later on Friday issued a statement on the “shocking” incident and said the steps taken by the state in relation to the cases of early marriage and femicide were “insufficient” and required “systematic and coordinated” work at both the central and local levels.

Ioseliani highlighted the need for “a timely and effective” involvement and response of all relevant agencies. He vowed his office would study the cases of murder and attempted murder of women, cases of child marriage, and stressed the importance of “taking immediate steps” in response to existing problems.