Police Detain Two over Attack on UNM Activists in Marneuli

Police detained two suspects over the beating of activists of the United National Movement party and one of their companions on September 29, the Ministry of Interior reported on October 3.

According to the statement by the Ministry, investigations found that the first suspect (G.Sh.) had verbally and physically assaulted Lasha Kveladze, member of the District Election Commission from the UNM party, as well as his father Givi Kveladze, who is also the deputy head of the UNM campaign office, and one of their family members. The second suspect (G.J.) also took part in the confrontation, beating Givi Kveladze. 

Police are leading investigations under Article 126-1 of the Criminal Code, involving violence and foreseeing imprisonment for up to a year. 

Lasha Kveladze, one of the victims of the assault, claimed earlier that he and his companions were attacked and physically assaulted by up to 100 persons when they were sitting in a car on September 29.

Commenting on the detention of two suspects, Kveladze called for the detention of other perpetrators involved in the attack, including Amiran Giorgadze, Chair of Marneuli Sakrebulo (city assembly). 

Marneuli, a city in the Southern Kvemo Kartli region of Georgia, became a center of pre-election tensions on September 29, involving a chain of confrontations between the activists of the UNM and the ruling Georgian Dream party. During the clashes, journalists and cameramen from two Georgian TV channels, as well as one observer from a Georgian NGO, were also attacked. 

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