Guard at the Center of Prison Sexual Abuse Allegations Left Georgia’s Penitentiary System

Giorgi Varabiovi, a prison staffer identified in media reports as being among the guards featured in the alleged sexual assault of inmate Giorgi Davitadze, has left the Georgian Penitentiary Service, the agency confirmed to Civil.ge.

Varabiovi, reportedly 22, left the service several months ago at his own request, the agency said, without providing further details about his departure. The agency later specified to RFE/RL’s Georgian service that Varabiovi left in March 2026.

Media reports identified Varabiovi as the guard wearing the rubber gloves in the footage showing the incident in the de-escalation room of Rustavi’s No. 6 prison, during which, according to Davitadze, he was sexually assaulted.

Davitadze, 36, the son of Avtandil Davitadze, a former Georgian Dream member of the Tbilisi City Council, alleged that prison guards sexually assaulted him with a finger during an inspection in a de-escalation cell. Following Davitadze’s allegations in court, the Special Penitentiary Service released footage from December 21, 2025, when the alleged assault occurred, rejecting his accusations as “a complete lie.”

The footage, which contains no audio, shows the guards bending the inmate over the bed to inspect him. It includes, however, episodes where guards position themselves in ways that obscure parts of Davitadze’s body, making it impossible to determine the exact nature of the procedures carried out on him. At least one guard – reportedly Varabiovi – involved in restraining and inspecting him appears to be wearing rubber gloves.

The allegations sparked further controversy and tensions at the prison. On October 4, the Penitentiary Service said Davitadze had swallowed an unidentified object and refused hospitalization, while the Public Defender’s Office later reported that he was refusing medical treatment until three inmates allegedly placed in de-escalation cells for protesting in his support were returned to their cells. Separate allegations emerged that several inmates were physically assaulted for similarly protesting in solidarity with Davitadze.

The Penitentiary Service denied that the three inmates had been punished for protesting, saying they had been transferred after physically attacking prison employees, releasing muted footage showing what appears to be inmates assaulting guards.

The Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia subsequently charged three inmates with assaulting prison staff in two separate incidents on October 2 and 4 at Penitentiary Institution No 6. The charges carry penalties of up to 12 years in prison.

The allegations, as well as the footage released by authorities, sparked calls for a more thorough investigation of the incident, including a release of the full footage and audio recordings. However, on 10, the Prosecutor’s Office announced closing the probe into the incident, saying that “he evidence obtained shows that no violence or criminal act was committed against Giorgi Davitadze during his examination in the de-escalation room of the prison.”

Also Read:

• 05/10/2026 – Family Disputes Suicide Account After Inmate Is Found Dead in Rustavi Prison
• 02/10/2026 – Inmate Alleges Sexual Abuse in Prison, Penitentiary Service Denies
• 20/05/2026 – Georgia Has Fourth-Highest Prison Population Rate in Council of Europe’s 2025 Report
• 18/02/2026 – CoE Committee for Prevention of Torture Publishes Report on Georgia

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