ECHR: Georgian police failed to prevent gender-based violence in case of lecturer killed by ex-husband
In 2014, 35 cases of female homicide were recorded, In following years this number has decreased, the Public Defender of Georgia reported. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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Georgian police systemically failed to prevent gender-based violence in the case of English-language lecturer Marika Tsivtsivadze who was murdered by her ex-husband, The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has stated.
The Court found that police must have been aware that the applicant’s daughter had been in danger. Despite the various protective measures that they could have implemented, they had failed to prevent gender-based violence against her, which culminated in her death,” the judgement of ECHR says.
The mother of the killed lecturer Taliko Tkhelidze lodged the application with ECHR on April 13, 2017, after several unanswered criminal complaints on a local level, emphasising ‘that the inaction of the police could be seen as gender-based discrimination,’ says the document.
An investigation into the case was opened but was discontinued on December 31, 2014, as the person liable for the crime was deceased:
According to various records and reports drawn up by the police, neither the applicant nor her daughter had been advised of their procedural rights or the legislative and administrative measures of protection available to them under the Criminal Code and the Domestic Violence Act,” ECHR judgement says.
The court noted that between April 29 and October 16, 2014, deceased Marika Tsivtsivadze and her mother Taliko Tkhelidze had requested help from the police ‘on at least 11 occasions.’
ECHR stated that the police had been informed that the killer ‘suffered from pathological jealousy, was mentally unstable and had anger-management issues. He himself had admitted that he had threatened to kill the applicant’s daughter, had a criminal record and a history of drug and alcohol abuse.’
However, the law-enforcement authorities had persistently failed to take steps that could have mitigated the harm or altered the tragic outcome,” emphasises the document.
The court unanimously held that Georgia has to pay the applicant 35,000 EUR in respect of non-pecuniary damage.
In 2014, 35 cases of female homicide were recorded, In following years this number has decreased, the Public Defender of Georgia reported.