Lasha Gabitashvili, who was physically assaulted by Georgian Dream MPs in Abu Dhabi last month, says he was attacked again – this time in Tbilisi by three masked men on Tuesday.
In a video shared on social media, Gabitashvili claimed he was walking his dog near his home when the masked men approached and beat him. The footage appears to show visible injuries on his face.
“You can’t scare anyone, you can’t scare anyone at all. It is time to hold new elections and release those who are in prison… We live here and will live here, and those people will escape,” he said.
The attack follows an earlier physical altercation on January 13 at the Radisson Hotel in Abu Dhabi, where Gabitashvili was assaulted by Georgian Dream MPs Irakli Zarkua, Viktor Sanikidze, Gela Samkharauli, Gocha Enukidze, and their companion Giorgi Gogoladze. The incident came a day after Gabitashvili publicly insulted Zarkua, calling him a traitor.
All participants were detained by Abu Dhabi police and later fined by a local court.
The attack comes amid widespread anti-government protests in Georgia, triggered by the ruling party’s decision last year to delay EU accession talks until 2028. Protesters have been demanding the release of detained activists and early parliamentary elections.
Since November 28, 2024, activists, journalists, and demonstrators have reported physical assaults, both by law enforcement officers and masked individuals whose identities remain unknown.
