Epress.am News from Armenia
Georgia’s Interior Ministry said it had dismissed a police officer, who punched a woman during dispersal of protest on Jan. 3 in Tbilisi, reports Civil Georgia.
“While suppressing the illicit activities of rally participants at the memorial of heroes fallen for the unity of Georgia in vicinities of Heroes Square, Otar Gvenetadze, the employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs has violated regulations envisaged by the Police Code of Ethics. Reasoning from the above mentioned, it was decided to dismiss Otar Gvenetadze from the occupied position,” the statement released by the ministry on Jan. 5 reads.
The officer was identified after the video, showing him punching an activist from the opposition Georgian Party, Eka Matiashvili, was widely circulated in the internet and discussed on social networking sites and online discussion forums.
Earlier on Jan. 5, the Georgian Party formally appealed the Prosecutor’s Office to investigate the case and to punish the officer who punched the party activists.