Journalist Zviad Koridze has reported that he was assaulted at a hotel in Batumi.
According to Koridze, he was confronted by Dimitri Samkharadze and Giorgi Manvelidze.
“I arrived at the hotel late, and while waiting to go up to my room, I was seated in an armchair, engaged in a phone conversation. At that moment, there were several people at tables across from me who were drinking and celebrating. There was no interaction between us until a young man approached from one of the tables, offered me a drink, and said, ‘Happy New Year.’ I informed him that I do not drink. He claimed to know me, introduced himself as ‘Giorgi Manvelidze,’ and that ended our conversation as he returned to his seat.
Approximately five to seven minutes later, while I was speaking with my wife, Dimitri Samkharadze descended with a female companion. He pretended to play the piano, then walked toward the table before deliberately approaching me. He acknowledged my identity, stating that he knew I was Zviad Koridze and that he was aware of my purpose there. He began cursing the United National Movement, which I chose to ignore.
Suddenly, he walked aggressively toward the exit, turned around, and shouted, ‘What did you say about the Kotsis (supporters of the Georgian Dream)? Who are you cursing at?’ I responded, ‘What Kotsis? Who am I cursing at?’
He then escalated to further insults and cursed loudly while kicking the table. Although he did not physically strike me at that moment, I observed that everyone at the tables was rising and moving in my direction, prompting me to head toward the lobby and seek assistance from security.
As security intervened, one of them struck me with an object, shattering my glasses. I sustained injuries that necessitated a visit to the clinic. Following this, Giorgi Manvelidze threw a pot filled with soil; I cannot ascertain whether this was intentional or accidental, but it narrowly missed me.
Subsequently, security escorted me out while I received threats. I returned to my room, and approximately 15 to 20 minutes later, when my friends and colleagues, whom I had alerted, arrived at the hotel, they encountered a very different situation. They discovered Giorgi Gakharia with significant injuries and severe trauma,” stated Koridze.
Zviad Koridze has since left the clinic.