Elvin Karimov, an ethnic Azerbaijani living in Georgia, has been sentenced to eight days of administrative detention after he was arrested and beaten during a protest in Tbilisi on the night of December 3-4. 

The incident occurred during ongoing protests across Georgia against the government's shift away from its Euro-Atlantic course. Law enforcement officers have violently dispersed demonstrations outside parliament on Rustaveli Avenue.

His friend Ayhan Hasanli told Marneulifm.ge that up to 10 special forces officers beat Karimov, a resident of the town of Sagarejo near the Georgian capital, and confiscated his mobile phone and car keys.

Reportedly, the officers told Karimov to ask for his rights from Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev.

"According to Elvin, they suddenly appeared and detained him without any clear reason. He wasn't resisting arrest. After detention, they took him to a vehicle where up to 10 special forces officers beat him severely. He has injuries to his face, a bruised nose and eyes, and they kicked him in the back and stomach. His lips are injured and show traces of blood. They told him 'What are you doing here? Go ask Ilham Aliyev for your rights, what are you doing here, Tatar?' That's how they treated him," Hasanli stated in a Facebook post. Tatar is a slur word often used in Georgia against Azerbaijanis.

Karimov's court hearing was held on December 5, presided over by Judge Manuchiar Tsatsua. He was sentenced to 8 days under Article 173 of the Administrative Offences Code for disobedience to police orders.

Aykhan Hasanli, who is both Karimov's friend and a lawyer, told bne IntelliNews in an interview that the court sentenced him despite no conclusive evidence beyond Karimov's presence at the protest. 

"There was no solid evidence, this court was anything but objective. Witnesses put forward testimonies that have nothing to do with reality," he said during the interview.

Ethnic Azerbaijani activist Tozu Gulmammadli, who was with Karimov during the protest, disputed police claims that Karimov had thrown glass at officers. "They brought false witnesses. He only had a whistle with him that day. We were together. They staged this entire theatre and slandered him," Gulmammadli stated on her social media account.

Karimov's lawyer Kamran Amjanoglu told Gündəlik Gürcüstan (Daily Georgia) that two witnesses gave conflicting testimonies. 

"Of course, we will go to appeal court but I doubt that it would be fruitful. Judge was pro-police, instead of being objective," he said. "Elvin was beaten, I saw blood stains in his clothes. There is another investigation regarding this, but I am not hopeful of that either," he concluded.

The protests in Tbilisi started after the October 28 election, which Georgia’s pro-Western opposition says was rigged by the ruling Georgian Dream party. They intensified and spread across the country after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced that Georgia would suspend its EU accession efforts until 2028. 

There have been multiple incidents of violent treatment of protesters by police during the protests. Video evidence shows officers beating protesters, primarily targeting their faces. Protesters report both physical and verbal abuse during arrests. Hundreds have been detained and injured by law enforcement agencies, including dozens of journalists who were deliberately targeted while covering the protests. 

Ethnic Azerbaijani protestors gathered in Marneuli on December 4 to protest against police violence according to Voice of America Azerbaijani service. 

"Unlike you, we don't beat people, we don't torture people. Don't worry. We just protest against the election you held unjustly," Samira Bayramova, an Azerbaijani woman activist, said in a speech criticising Georgian Dream's local branch. 

"Our first and foremost demand is to hold new elections in Georgia. The current government isn't legitimate. Protests will continue here and the entire Georgia until our demands are met," Nashir Ordukhanov, another Azerbaijani protester, told VOA.