Web Portal on Human Rights in Georgia

On August 2, a National Movement activist physically and verbally assaulted information agency Info-9 journalist, Sulkhan Meskhidze, in Khulo district. As Meskhidze states, he heard from a local resident that the activist’s name is Mamuli Mgeladze. Mgeladze works in a hotel that belongs to the vice speaker of the Georgian parliament Anzor Bolkvadze.

As the journalist states, Mgeladze was dressed in a t-shirt with the slogan “I Love Georgia”.  He assaulted the journalist and tried to disrupt an opposition meeting.

“The incident happened near Khulo municipality building when I was covering Georgian Dream’s meeting with voters. 10 young people came dressed in red t-shirts. They were shouting “I Love Georgia” and tried to disrupt the meeting. I went to the person who was shouting the loudest and started asking questions. He hit the microphone several times and then assaulted me both physically and verbally”, Meskhidze said.

Sulkhan Meskhidze states that even though the incident was going on near the municipality building where police office is located, they did not respond to the incident.