PM Gakharia: ‘no time to politicize tragedies, it’s time for concrete steps’
PM Giorgi Gakharia has announced a special meeting at the governmental administration today to discuss the problems involving minors. Photo: government press office.
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Georgian PM Giorgi Gakharia once again responded to the death of a minor on December 17 and stated that there is no time for politicizing tragedies as concrete, further steps must be taken for the welfare of children.
What the state does in terms of systemic reforms or the improvement of the education field, everything which is in touch with the youth must be even more effective, target-oriented and prevent such tragedies,” Gakharia has stated earlier today, during the governmental meeting.
The PM vowed that “no question marks” will remain over the case after the investigation is
completed by the State Inspector’s Office, an independent agency which investigates alleged offences committed by law enforcers.
All the state agencies have been instructed to closely cooperate with the State Inspector’s Office. However, we should also make certain conclusions. We should act faster and systemically in terms of juvenile justice and relevant state agencies have also been instructed in this regard,” Gakharia said.
State Inspector Londa Toloraia also vowed that no question marks will remain over the death of a 15-year-old boy. Photo: State Inspector's Office.
Gakharia stated that the Interior Ministry must ensure the creation of an appropriate environment for the interrogation of minors.
The Education Ministry, with other state bodies, must take further steps to ensure the high-qualification of all state servants of individuals who will have to be in touch with minors. The role of the Education Ministry is particularly high in prevention of incidents regarding minors,” Gakharia said.
He stated that the Justice Ministry must ensure the legal protection of minors when they have problems with the law, while the Health Ministry must provide psychological support.
The state, especially the Ministry of Justice, has taken huge steps in terms of juvenile justice. However, the state must take the following steps swiftly,” Gakharia stated.
He said that a later today a special meeting will take place at the administration building of the government of Georgia, with the involvement of specialists, NGOs and state agencies to address the issues related to minors.
Several ministries have been instructed to present plans to ensure better protection of minors. Photo: government's press office.
- 15-year-old Luka Siradze died in a hospital due to injuries he received after attempting suicidde on December 11.
- The family says that police exercised psychological pressure on the minor when he was interrogated for allegedly damaging a private school property in Tbilisi and painting vulgar words on its wall.
- Investigator Mariana Choloiani has been detained for exercising alleged pressure on the minor, the charge she denies.
- State Inspector Londa Toloraia has pointed at problems in a school, not only in the police which could have pushed the minor to suiccide.
The Georgian State Inspector’s Office, a newly created independent agency investigating alleged offences committed by law enforcers, has pointed at possible problems at a school, not only at a police station which could have pushed a 15-year-old minor to commit suicide last week. “Situations, which could not have been acceptable or desirable for a child have been revealed at a school. Such situations also took place at a police station,” head of the agency Londa Toloraia told the media.
A female investigator Mariana Choloiani has been detained for placing psychological pressure leading to a suicide attempt of Luka Siradze, 15, who died at M. Iashvili Children’s Central Hospital earlier today.
UNICEF Georgia (United Nations Children's Emergency Fund) has called on the authorities to ensure children’s rights in the juvenile justice system, responding to the suicide attempt of a 15-year-old minor due to alleged psychological pressure at Didube-Chugureti police station last week.
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.
Tbilisi City Court has sentenced investigator Mariana Choloiani to 3 years in prison for placing psychological pressure on 15-year-old Luka Siradze, who subsequently tried to commit suicide and died several days later on December 17, 2019.