TBILISI — Georgia's public ombudsman accused police on Tuesday (Dec 3) of inflicting torture on people arrested during six days of big street protests against the government's decision to suspend talks on joining the European Union.

Levan Ioseliani, whose role is to defend citizens' rights, said he and his officials had met people subjected to "the harshest treatment" by police.

"In most cases, they have received serious injuries in the face, eye and head area, which practically excludes even the possibility that the police used the necessary, proportional force against them every time," he said in a statement.

"The location, character, and degree of the injuries create a credible impression that the police use violent methods against citizens in order to punish them. Intentional, severe violence for the purpose of punishment constitutes an act of torture."

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