Tengiz Sharmanashvili on prisoner Giorgi Davitadze: What object did he swallow? If it poses no danger, why swallow it? What kind of spectacle is he staging? It makes no sense

"Georgian Dream" MP Tengiz Sharmanashvili commented on the events surrounding prisoner Giorgi Davitadze, stating that the state would not allow itself to be blackmailed over this issue.

"This is just a spectacle. They think that by acting this way, they can blackmail the state—that the state will show weakness, throw up its hands in despair, and say: 'Alright, you’re free to go. True, you fired eight bullets at the police, but just don't do it again once you leave here. As for the rest—off you go, and we’ll just forget about it.' That is not going to happen.

The footage confirmed that he was resisting established procedures. They thought the footage no longer existed because, typically, such recordings used to be kept for only a month, a month and a half, or two months. It seems the rule has changed, and they are now kept for a longer period." Just as these narratives targeting the institution began to accumulate, the whole matter was suddenly made public—something that certainly wasn't anticipated. What object did he swallow? If the object poses a genuine threat, then transfer to the hospital that was offered, right? If it doesn't pose a threat, then why swallow it? What kind of spectacle is this? It’s baffling. Well, actually, it makes perfect sense to me—it’s just childish behavior. The state isn't going to make concessions because of this kind of blackmail; it’s unthinkable.

The opposition tried [to stir up a blackmail campaign], but it didn't work. Why did they try? They have nothing—no agenda. How can a party polling at 1% or 2%—some of which barely have a detectable pulse—possibly have a real agenda? So, what are they supposed to do? They have to manufacture these little scandals—hoping something might come of it, or maybe not. They need to remind people that they’re still alive and have a pulse. In reality, politically speaking, no one can detect a pulse from them anymore. After all, we weren't the ones who conducted that poll, were we? "Or was it conducted by an organization one might suspect of harboring sympathies toward us? That is certainly not the case. This reflects their true nature," Sharmanashvili stated.

As a reminder, Giorgi Davitadze, an inmate at Rustavi Penitentiary Establishment No. 6, stated at the Tbilisi Court of Appeals that he had been raped by a prison guard. According to him, the incident took place in the de-escalation room and involved several individuals. Davitadze asserts that "everything is visible on the cameras."

The Special Penitentiary Service also responded to the matter, labeling Davitadze’s statement as disinformation. The agency maintains that "no violence of any kind—let alone sexual violence—was committed against the inmate."

Yesterday, the Special Penitentiary Service also released information stating that Giorgi Davitadze called over a member of the prison administration and, in their presence—and within view of a surveillance camera—demonstratively swallowed a small, unidentified object. According to the agency, Davitadze was offered a transfer to the civilian clinic "Vivamed" for further monitoring of his health condition, a proposal he categorically refused.