Prosecutor’s office has launched criminal persecution against a woman victim of domestic violence

Prosecutor’s Office charged a woman victim of domestic violence who applied to the police to protect her from the violence committed by her former husband. In particular, in February 2018, Tamar Bekarashvili applied to the police and informed it that her former husband physically abused her and her mother. At the initial stage of investigation, police arrested the former husband of Tamar Bekarashvili and criminal persecution was launched against him. In June 2018, suddenly, the prosecutor’s office recognized the person charged with violence as a victim and the woman victim was charged with violence against the former husband and false denunciation. It worth mentioning that the Prosecutor’s Office relied on biased witnesses when accusing the woman and did not considering other evidences by which Tamar Bekarashvili was a victim of violence.  Prosecutor’s Office did not take into account the decisions of Tbilisi City Court and Tbilisi Court of Appeals according of which Tamar Bekarashvili is a victim of domestic violence.

GYLA believes that the charge of the Prosecutor’s Office against the woman victim of violence is ungrounded, irrelevant to the law and causes revictimization of the victim. Instead of offering effective protection mechanism, the state used repressive measures against the real victim of violence. This approach essentially derogates not only the right of Tamar Bekarashvili but it, also, negatively affects the fight against the domestic violence and will deepen the feeling of vulnerability in women victims of violence.

GYLA defends Tamar Bekarashvili’s interests in criminal case.