Nearly three months have passed since January 15, 2025 [1], when representatives of the "Georgian Dream" party carried out an act of group violence against a well-known journalist and civil activist, Zviad Koridze, in the lobby of the Sheraton Hotel in Batumi. Koridze is the head of the regional offices of Transparency International Georgia and was in Batumi on a work trip, observing the court trial of political prisoner Mzia Amaglobeli [2], the founder of “Batumelebi” and “Netgazeti.”

Participants in the group attack included the regional secretary of "Georgian Dream" and member of so-called Parliament Dimitri Samkharadze; Giorgi Manvelidze, former chairman of the "Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia" faction in the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara and currently deputy minister of finance and economy of Adjara; Nika Tkemaladze, head of the Department of Regional Relations in the Government Administration of Georgia; Tkemaladze's driver Gocha Samkharadze; and two other individuals.

In the criminal case under investigation by the Adjara Prosecutor’s Office, Zviad Koridze has been granted victim status. Despite the fact that investigative actions clearly reveal—objectively and unmistakably—the incident of group violence against Zviad Koridze and the identities of the alleged perpetrators, no one has yet been held accountable.

Case materials clearly indicate multiple acts of violence against Zviad Koridze, including physical assault and the throwing of an object in his direction, which, had it struck him, would have caused even greater harm. The initiator and instigator of all of this was Dimitri Samkharadze, who is known for his aggressive behavior toward anyone not aligned with "Georgian Dream."

The crime is confirmed by a medical examination report on Zviad Koridze, as well as trace evidence and other expert assessments, surveillance footage retrieved from the hotel, testimony from hotel employees who witnessed the violence, and, to some extent, even statements from the organizers and participants of the attack, who do not deny their involvement but in an effort to avoid responsibility attempt to shift blame onto the victim, claiming that Zviad Koridze himself initiated the incident.

The testimonies of hotel personnel—who are not interested parties—make no mention of any aggressive behavior by Zviad Koridze. The absence of any provocative action on his part could be confirmed by footage from the surveillance cameras installed in the hotel lobby. However, such footage is missing from the case materials provided to Zviad Koridze’s attorney by the Prosecutor’s Office. The fate of these recordings remains unknown at this stage.

On the other hand, the case materials do include footage from surveillance cameras of Liberty Bank and another entity, whose camera angles only capture part of the exterior perimeter of the Sheraton Hotel and are therefore not suitable for reconstructing the events that occurred inside the lobby. Also included in the case files is footage aired on the “Imedi” TV channel, which is not only incomplete and selectively edited to mislead viewers but also lacks any relevant information regarding the attack on Zviad Koridze.

Overall, the situation gives the impression that the Adjara Prosecutor’s Office is handling the case in a way that will ensure no one is ultimately charged while the "Georgian Dream" party remains in power. Unfortunately, the hotel’s administration has also contributed to this outcome by refusing—despite our request—to provide either Zviad Koridze or Transparency International Georgia with the lobby surveillance footage.

We are not surprised by such actions from the “Georgian Dream” Prosecutor’s Office, considering that both the alleged organizers and active participants of the violent incident are representatives of “Georgian Dream.” In fact, two of them hold de facto state-political positions. Two others include a senior official in the Government Administration and his driver—one with the same last name as Dimitri Samkharadze. Notably, the investigation has not even shown interest in clarifying the nature of any familial relationships between the individuals involved.

As we have stated previously, the attack on Zviad Koridze is viewed by our organization and the broader civil society as an attack on civil society itself. The failure to fully investigate this act of violence and to hold the perpetrators accountable encourages the recurrence of similar acts in the future.

Once again, we call on the Adjara Prosecutor’s Office to take timely and decisive steps to complete the investigation and initiate criminal proceedings against those responsible.