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Singer and Businessman Is Beaten

April 15, 2009

Irakli Managadze

Demonstrators were harassed during the night of April 14. The Human Rights Center was informed about attacks in several districts of Tbilisi. On April 14, at about 7:00 pm singer Zurab Manjavidze was attacked. Before that, Vakhtang Laghidze, director-general of “Coca-Cola”, was beaten and then his car was stolen. Three members of the People’s Party, political party “Tavisufleba” and Alliance for Georgia were beaten. They are Gizo Sartania, Hamlet Gulordava and Malkhaz Charkviani. They were so ruthlessly beaten that all three people were put in the central hospital.

Gizo Sartania stated that, close to the Avlabari underground station, when they were sitting in the car to go to Rustaveli Avenue people, sitting in three cars attacked them and beat them ruthlessly.

“They were hitting us in the head; then pushed us down to the ground and started kicking us,” said Gizo Sartania. Hamlet Gulordava said the attackers were armed and they were officers of the Ministry of Interior. Gulordava stated that he can recognize all of them.

The victimized people were representatives of opposition parties in Zugdidi. Certain people threatened them with harassment. At the moment, representatives of the Community Defender and Public Defender’s Office are near the Avlabari residence of the President.
 
An unprecedented thing occurred-- a representative of Georgian show-business was beaten.

Zurab Manjavidze was attacked by masked people when he was going home from the protest demonstration. The incident happened near the Pubic School #1 in Lesia Ukrainka Street. The Human Rights Center got in touch with Zurab Manjavidze who reported that he was going home from the demonstration with his two brothers when ten people in a car “Golf” with state numbers WNX 937 or WNX 927 and BMW attacked them and tried to open the door of their car. The brothers of Zurab Manjavidze managed to lock the door but Manjavidze could not lock it. The strangers were pulling him out of the car, beating him with truncheons; window glass was smashed.

Manjavidze stated that soon demonstrators heard the noise and the masked people left the area immediately after people appeared. Zurab Manjavidze stated that he applied to the patrol police for help who arrived at the place later.

“The incident lasted for a long time. The people looked out of the windows at the noise and the attackers disappeared,” said Manjavidze.

After the incident the singer returned to the demonstration in front of the Public Broadcasting and informed the opposition leaders about the fact.

Maka Tavamaishvili, wife of Laghidze, reported to the Interpewssnews that on April 14, at 6:00 pm her husband was coming back from the protest demonstration and nearly 12 people followed him in 6 cars. When he approached the house in Chavchavadze Avenue he was beaten severely and then the harassers took the car.

Currently, Laghidze is in the central hospital and is being given medical treatment. A criminal case was launched on the incident. The investigation is under way.

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