Investigator Detained for Allegedly Leading Minor to Suicide
Investigator Mariana Choloiani has been detained for allegedly placing psychological pressure leading to the suicide attempt of Luka Siradze, 15, who died at M. Iashvili Children’s Central Hospital yesterday.
His family and lawyer said earlier that the boy suffered psychological pressure from law enforcers who wanted him to admit to the crime of damaging the property of the private Mtsvane (Green) School in Tbilisi by spraying offensive graffiti on its walls.
Interior Ministry confirmed that the minor spent only a few minutes alone with one of the police officers before the beginning of the interrogation as the minor “had a conflict with his mother and the police officer tried to calm the situation”.
However, the Ministry excluded any psychological pressure from the officer, saying that the boy was interrogated twice “in the presence of his mother” at the above police station on December 10 and 11.
Public Defender Nino Lomjaria sent her condolences to the minor’s family, calling the incident “a tragedy for entire society because we again failed to protect a child’s life”.
Lomjaria said her office is studying the case from the very beginning and will continue to monitor the ongoing investigation.
Last night, after the announcement of the minor's death, protesters gathered in Tbilisi streets, spraying graffiti 'F**k this life' in English and Georgian on the walls of the state and investigation agencies as well as in other locations throughout the city.
Demonstrations are still underway in Georgia's capital.
The participants are demanding the resignation of Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri, insisting that he is responsible for the death of a 15-year-old boy, who atte,mpted to commit suicide after being questioned in the First Police Unit of Tbilisi’s Didube-Chughureti district on December 10-11 and died at Tbilisi’s Iashvili Children’s Hospital on December 17.
"This young boy is yet another victim of this ugly and unfair system. It is our fault that we could not protect him. We are all responsible for his death," they claim.
By Ana Dumbadze
Photo: The civic movement Sirtskhvilia (It' A Shame) Movement making inscriptions in Tbilisi in protest of the recent incident with the minor