Georgian police have made a second round of arrests in their investigation into neo-Nazi violence in Tbilisi, detaining a further 13 individuals, seven of them minors, on charges that now include torture, group violence, robbery, extortion, and illegal possession of firearms and explosives.
When Searchlight reported in January on the first wave of arrests, 16 people, ten of them under 18, had been detained following raids that turned up electronic devices, masks, Nazi paraphernalia and weapons.
The latest police raids, announced by Tbilisi police chief Vazha Siradze, took place on 30 March and signal that the investigation has grown rather than wind down. Four of those already in custody are also facing additional charges of organising and participating in group violence.
A striking proportion of those caught up in it have been under 18.
Ferocity
Members of the group targeted victims who they saw as political opponents with particular ferocity, using batons and brass knuckles, while also robbing and extorting those they attacked.
Around ten people were injured in total, including two minors.
“In order to gain notoriety, promote fascist ideology, and expand the influence of neo-Nazi network members, they displayed radical hostility toward victims and used extreme cruelty, employing various blunt and sharp objects, including batons and so-called brass knuckles, to assault their targets,” Siradze said, adding, “They were especially brutal toward those who did not share their fascist beliefs.”
They also filmed their attacks – including acts described by police as torture and degrading treatment – and posted the footage online to celebrate their brutality.
