On the evening of May 8, at least four oppositionists and activists who are actively opposing the adoption of the draft law on "foreign agents" were attacked in Georgia.
This is reported by Novosti-Gruzia.
The Formula TV channel showed footage from a video surveillance camera near the house of the representative of Saakashviliʼs United National Movement party Dmitry Chikovani. A group of five people tracked him down and beat him near his home.
Biker Lasha Gvinianidze, the brother of the leader of the Girchi — More Freedom party, Professor Gia Japaridze, and Giorgi Oniani, deputy executive director of the Georgian branch of Transparency International, were also attacked.
Unknown persons attacked them in different parts of the city. All victims required medical assistance after the attack. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia did not comment on the situation.
It is also reported that since Tuesday, activists have been receiving calls from unknown numbers and threatened with violence, dozens of such cases are known. In some cases, relatives were called to intimidate.
Director of the Alliance of Regional Broadcasters of Georgia, Natia Kupravshvili, said that she received several calls threatening to track her down near her home. The first one was made from an allegedly Ukrainian number, the next ones from allegedly German numbers.
Borys Chele Kurua, a member of the "Girchi" party, says that during the call, they gave his address and threatened to kill him. Another representative of "Gircha" Niki Mosiashvili received similar threats.
The opposition Pirveli TV channel claims that the series of calls were arranged through call centers controlled by the authorities.
Representatives of the ruling party "Georgian Dream" claim that they are not involved in these cases.
What is happening in Georgia
On April 8, 2024, the ruling party "Georgian Dream" registered a project on "foreign agents" in the parliament. This is the second attempt to pass the law — a year ago, the vote was canceled amid large-scale protests and clashes. Now the voting is also accompanied by protests. Detentions near the parliament began on April 15, and on April 16 there were clashes with security forces.
On April 17, the Parliament of Georgia approved in the first reading the controversial law on "foreign agents", also known as the draft law "On transparency of foreign influence".
All international partners of Georgia call on Tbilisi to refuse approval of the draft law on "foreign agents". On April 16, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Teodoros Roussopoulos appealed to the Venice Commission to urgently provide an opinion on this draft law.
The European Union warned that the adoption of this law could stop Georgiaʼs European integration. In December 2023, the country received the status of a candidate for EU membership.
On May 1, the draft law was supported in the second reading and sent to the third. After that, protests resumed in Tbilisi.