On February 27, 2020, the Tbilisi City Court Civil Cases Panel, with the chairmanship of Judge Lia Avalishvili, will hold the first hearing on the fact of beating a citizen in the TBC Bank, by the Bank’s loan expert, in the case of demanding the pecuniary and non-pecuniary damages. Zviad Gogiashvili, for the moral and material damages, demands from the Bank the payment of GEL 30,000 as compensation. The above mentioned information is reported by “Young Barristers”.

Based on the case files it is established, that on June 14, 2019, Zviad Gogishvili has been recognized as a victim by Tbilisi Gldani-Nadzaladevi District Prosecutor’s Office. In the prosecutor’s decree it is stated, that on June 3, 2019, approximately from the period of 10:00 to 10:14, in the Tbilisi, near to Akhmeteli Theatre territory, whilst being in “TBC Bank” (in the commercial centre “Gldani Mall”), Zviad Gogiashvili was physically assaulted by a TBC Bank loan expert, M.K., who hit his right fist in the face of the victim, concretely, in the nose area, which caused fracture of the nose. Based on this shock, Zviad Gogishvili suffered severe physical pain. It is established, that the citizen addressed Medical Centre with the multiple fractures of the skull and facial bones. In the Alexandre Aladashvili Clinic, severe actions towards the citizen has been done – the correction and immobilization of the multiple fractures of the bones, the osteoplasty of the jaws or facial bones, using the bone grafting or by foreign materials, and other reconstructive operations on the jaws. Based on the documents, given by the clinic, towards the plaintiff the following services were provided and the following diagnosis was made – S600161 S02.7/S02.8 multiple fractures of the skull and facial bones / multiple fractures of the skull and facial bones AASD99 EES EFS EDS EGS EKS other operations for the head trauma, Upper jaw surgery, mixed jaw surgery, lower jaw surgery, temple-lower jaw surgery. Moreover, according to the clinic’s record, the citizen was placed with open wounds and therefore, required surgical interventions. The citizen continues rehabilitation course in the above mentioned clinic.

The organization explains that Zviad Gogiashvili has identified the aggressor in the investigation proceedings. Moreover, based on the unofficial information, the bank has suspended labor-legal relations with that employee. The investigation has questioned the manager of the mentioned branch (office), but it is still unknown whether the offender himself was questioned or not. TBC Bank has refused to recognize the lawsuit and points out, that the citizen self-harmed himself, which, unfortunately, demonstrates the lack of social responsibility of the bank and encourages the assumption of beating the citizens and consumers in the bank, and, therefore, encourages the crime, in general.

To note out: Zviad Gogiashvili has addressed the court in August 27, 2019, with the complaint. Before that, on July 2, 2019, the court accepted the party’s motion in order to provide the evidence and obliged TBC bank to release the video, taken by the surveillance cameras, depicting the beating fact of Zviad Gogiashvili, which hasn’t been given to the victim by the Bank’s own will. In these footage the chronicle of beating a citizen is fully presented. On June 7, 2019, the organization has already expressed its interest in protecting the victim’s rights, during the time when the NGOs made a joint statement and called the Bank to apologize in front of the public. In order to have the proper reaction to Zviad Gogishvili’s case, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Office of Public Defender (Ombudsman) of Georgia, Business Ombudsman of Georgia, Governor of the National Bank of Georgia, the chairman of the Human Rights and Civil Integration Committee, were addressed. The organization remarks, that on the case against the former employee of TBC Bank, separate investigation is in progress under the Article 126 (1) of the Criminal Code of Georgia. In addition to above mentioned details, has wrecked the negotiation process, which could have possibly resulted in the reconciliation between the parties.