Chechin gives details of beating in Tbilisi prison
Anton Chechin, a Russian citizen, was beaten up by employees of the Tbilisi prison after he asked to be transferred to a non-smoking cell. The beaten Chechin was placed into a dungeon (punishment cell) for several hours and only then received some medical care.
Manana Samkharadze, Anton’s wife, has reported the details of his beating. "There were 5-6 wards, who dragged him out of the cell by force – only because Anton asked to change it to a non-smoking one ... The conversation was over, but suddenly they unexpectedly came back and dragged him out by force, without even explaining the reasons. They twisted his arms, insulted him in Georgian and Russian. "The bruises on his arms were so bad that a haematoma has formed," the “Pirveli” TV Channel quoted the wife as saying in its website on June 10.
Chechin has been diagnosed with a brain cyst, which is why he needs medical care. On April 28, he was not taken to court due to his worsening health condition.
They started twisting my arms and tried to take me out of the cell.
The “Tbilisi-Life” Telegram channel has posted Anton’s letter, handed over by his wife. The letter is dated June 9. In it Chechin explained that he "wanted just to be transferred to a non-smoking cell."
"Security officers came, and I said that I needed this information and that they would pass it on to the director. They said that the director was not there. After which they began twisting my arms and tried to take me out of the cell without explaining the reasons," he wrote.
They took me to the dungeon, where I spent about two hours.
According to Anton Chechin, he told the wards "about a tumour in his head and complained of pain in his heart and arm." "And I wanted to be examined by a doctor. They didn’t react to my request for a doctor. And after that, they took me to the dungeon, where I spent about two hours. Around 10:00 p.m., they took me to a nurse; she examined my arm, gave me a pill and made a painkiller injection, since I felt severe pain. There were many bruises and abrasions on my arms, as well as internal pain in the joints.
Anton Chechin, a Russian citizen, has been charged in Georgia with drug possession. According to his advocate, he is being persecuted because of his participation in protests in Tbilisi, while the prosecution witnesses’ testimonies are questionable and insufficient. On June 3, the court extended Chechin's custody.
This was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on June 11, 2025 at 11:49 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.