Employees of Tbilisi Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs today arrested 16 members of radical fascist groups across the country, who were physically and psychologically abusing people of different ages with exceptional cruelty. Among those arrested are 10 under aged persons as well.

"The investigation conducted by law enforcement officers over the course of several months established that the members of the violent radical groups identified themselves as neo-Nazis and were guided by fascist ideology.

In order to increase their influence and gain recognition, they exercised radical treatment towards their victims and, with exceptional cruelty, physically abused those who did not agree with their ideology.

Members of the groups took photos and videos depicting violence, degrading acts, and physical as well as psychological pressure against the victims with their mobile phones and published materials on various Internet platforms.

As a result of the above-mentioned violent acts, more than ten people, including 4 minors, were injured. During the personal search of the detained persons and search activities held in their residential homes, law enforcers seized their mobile phones, masks, various electronic equipment, Nazi symbols, acoustic and cold weapons were seized.

The facts are being investigated under Article 144-1, Part II, Subparagraph “G” and Part II, Subparagraph "B" of the same Article of the Criminal Code of Georgia [inhuman treatment committed by a group against a minor with prior knowledge and provides for imprisonment for a term of up to 10 years].

We would like to remind the public that two leaders of radical fascist groups - Levan Abesadze and Davit Jafarov - are already serving sentences in a penitentiary institution on similar charges, having been arrested by law enforcement officers several months ago. Seven more members of the groups have also been arrested along with them.

The investigation has established that other members of the aforementioned ideological groups continued their violent actions, which was confirmed by the evidence obtained during the ongoing investigation of the case.

Investigative actions are intensively in progress into the criminal case, with the aim of identifying other individuals associated with violent groups with fascist ideology and bringing them to criminal justice, and we call on each member of the public to immediately report to police in case of elementary signs of similar crimes, in order to prevent cruel treatment of minors and the spread of such ideology among youth".