Police officer charged with physically assaulting disabled minor sentenced to 5 years

Police officer Nukri Bakradze, who was charged with assaulting a disabled minor in Tbilisi Metro in January, has been sentenced to five years in prison, news agency Interpressnews reported on Friday.

IPN also reported eight out of 12 jurors had delivered a guilty verdict for Bakradze.

Nukri Bakradze was arrested for physically assaulting a disabled 17-year-old in Tbilisi Metro on January 23, 2022.

He was arrested after the footage of the violent attack was aired on television channels and was posted on social media.

Following the arrest, the investigators said the disabled minor and his brother had been approached by the police in Isani metro station, with the 17-year-old taken to the police staff room at the station, where one of the officers repeatedly punched the minor in the head.

• Interior ministry launches investigation into police brutality following video footage

The assault continued despite the juvenile indicating he was disabled and could not understand the officer addressing him throughout the arrest and the subsequent attack.

The incident was witnessed and recorded before the footage was released by the media.

Another police officer Kakha Bakashvili, who was also involved in the incident and had been arrested for failing to report the assault, was released from prison a month ago.