Web Portal on Human Rights in Georgia

Davit Beridze, resident of Atskuri Akhaltsikhe district, was arrested for not drinking a toast made to Mikheil Saakashvili.

This fact was confirmed to Iverioni by Georgian Dream’s Akhaltsikhe and Aspindza office representatives. According to them, George Beridze was at a neighbor’s birthday party where one of the activists of the National Movement was present. He was one who offered a toast for the president.

“Nobody really liked Saakashvili at the table except the activist but everyone was afraid so they drank this toast. But George Beridze didn’t agree and he said that he would not toast for a person who destroyed his country. The next day Beridze was arrested and for 2 days and 2 nights he was in the Atskuri police station.” – said to Iverioni to Georgian Dream Akhaltsike office representatives.

Georgian Dream says that according to the information they collected, there was no physical abuse. They did not release him until they made him drink a toast to the president five times with different drinking vessels.

They made him drink five times because the number five is the National Movement election number. They were laughing at Beridze” – said Georgian Dream.

George Beridze does not belong to any opposition political party and he is apolitical. He and his family practice agriculture.