Georgia’s Tbilisi court detains ex-teacher over alleged child sexual abuse

Tbilisi City Court ordered a former school sports teacher into pretrial detention on 10 November 2026, Civil.ge said. Georgia’s Prosecutor’s Office announced the child sexual-abuse charge the same day. The court’s decision holds the accused pending proceedings; it does not determine guilt.

Prosecutors say an Interior Ministry investigation established that the accused repeatedly had sexual contact with a pupil aged 8 to 9 in 2000–2001, while teaching a sports club at a Tbilisi school.

Sapari’s account and concerns

Sapari, a Georgian women’s rights group whose lawyers represent the complainant, publicized the case on 9 November. The group says the complainant approached it approximately a year earlier and was 7 when the alleged abuse began. Its account gives an earlier starting age than the prosecution’s account.

The group says its lawyer Mari Varamashvili helped the complainant collect evidence and participated in investigative and procedural actions that confirmed the complainant’s account.

Sapari called the detention decision “crucial” after raising concerns that the accused continued to have contact with children and provided private tutoring. The continued-contact account is the group’s allegation, not an official finding.

The charge and possible sentence

The Prosecutor’s Office identifies the charge as Article 138, paragraph 3(e) and paragraph 4, under the Georgian Criminal Code’s wording in force at the time of the alleged offenses. It describes a forcible sexual act involving the use of an official position against a person under 14.

The accused faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted, the Prosecutor’s Office says.