10 attacked opposition leader Gakharia when he was alone, For Georgia party

Berdia Sichinava, a member of the For Georgia opposition party, on Wednesday claimed 10 individuals had attacked the party leader Giorgi Gakharia while alone at the Sheraton Hotel in Batumi, western Georgia, on Tuesday.

The attack left Gakharia with a fractured nasal bone and a concussion, though his condition is reported to be stable, and he is now recovering at home, he told the press.

Sichinava strongly condemned the assault, labeling it an “organized attack” and accusing the ruling Georgian Dream party of orchestrating the violence.

According to him, the assault was linked to a series of threats made by Bidzina Ivanishvili, founder of Georgian Dream, in the days leading up to the October 26, 2024 election. “This was not a random confrontation but a premeditated attack,” he said during a party briefing.

Sichinava also pointed out that the Sheraton Hotel’s video surveillance system could provide crucial evidence for the investigation, which was expected to be resolved swiftly by law enforcement.

Although the identities of the attackers had not been publicly revealed, media reports suggest that Georgian Dream MP Dimitri Samkharadze may have been involved in the incident. Additionally, another altercation reportedly took place at the hotel involving Zviad Koridze, a representative from the non-governmental sector, who was confronted by Samkharadze and his associates.

The For Georgia party has called for a thorough investigation, and Sichinava emphasized that those responsible—both the attackers and those who ordered the assault—would face appropriate consequences.