As the October 26 parliamentary elections approach, the cases of violent interference with the election campaign of opposition parties have become more and more frequent.

In most cases, violence is directed against the pre-election campaign of opposition parties and is aimed at disrupting their meetings with voters. Despite the fact that in some cases representatives of the parties manage to identify attackers themselves through video footage, it is not known to the public whether an investigation has been launched in connection with any of the cases of the attack. The inaction of the law-enforcement agencies relating to the facts of physical attack, which they have witnessed themselves, is particularly disturbing. The demonstrative bias by law enforcement agencies in favour of government supporters and zero response to the incidents of violence will make it impossible to hold elections in a fair and equal environment.  

The Democracy Research Center has summarized several cases of attacks based on information disseminated by the party press offices or public sources.

1.      On August 3, in Batumi, a group of individuals tried to disrupt a meeting held within the pre-election campaign of the Gakharia for Georgia party. According to Natia Mezvrishvili, one of the leaders of the party, among the persons trying to  disrupt the meeting were Manuchar Rizhvadze, an employee of the Environmental Department of Adjara and a relative of Adjara Government Chairman Tornike Rizhvadze; Nugzar Inaishvili - an employee of the Greening Service of the Batumi City Hall (Georgian Dream coordinator); Zurab Malazonia – an employee of the Kindergarten Union of the Batumi City Hall (Georgian Dream coordinator); and Gabi Kamaev (specialist of the Georgian Dream faction of the Batumi City Council).

2.      On September 8, in Kareli, during a meeting with the population, members of the Coalition of Strong Georgia were confronted by the wife of the Deputy Mayor of Kareli, Vladimer Sulakvelidze, and persons accompanying her. According to the representatives of the Coalition and the footage showing the incident, the Patrol Police were in the surrounding area, but they did not respond to the incident.

3.      On September 14, Lekso Valiauri, a member of the Coalition for Changes, was beaten by supporters of Georgian Dream in Gori during the party's election meeting. According to Valiauri, he was attacked after he called the Prime Minister a "slave" and a "traitor". In an interview given to Netgazeti, Valiauri stated that the Prime Minister's escort was also nearby at the time of the attack and Irakli Kobakhidze could see the physical retaliation against him. According to the oppositionist, the attack was also witnessed by the Criminal Police, which did not respond to the beating.

4.      According to the representative of the regional headquarters of the Akhlebi party, on September 18, during the distribution of campaign materials in Kutaisi, members of the Coalition for Changes were approached by several people by car, who verbally insulted them and, after an argument, physically assaulted them with a baseball bat. According to the representative of the party, one of the young men sustained serious head injuries. His father, who was on the spot, was also injured as a result of the incident. The injured were hospitalized. The Democracy Research Institute is verifying information about the mentioned incident with other sources.

5.      On September 19, during a meeting with the population in Zugdidi, members of the National Movement were attacked by about 50 people, some of whom were wearing T-shirts of the Georgia Dream party. The photos distributed by the party representatives show that Patrol Police officers were present at the scene of the incident, but they did not respond to the attack. One of the leaders of the National Movement, Ana Tsitlidze, named the persons involved in the attack: Shota Bajaladze – an employee of the General Inspection Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs; Goga Mosia - Deputy Director of the Art and Culture Center of Zugdidi; Dima Gogokhia, Ramaz Baghbaia, Data Darsania - Georgian Dream activists; Zviad Malazonia – an employee of the Zugdidi City Hall; Teona Kardava – an employee of the representation of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia in Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti.

6.      The Democracy Research Center calls on law enforcement agencies to objectively and thoroughly investigate cases of violence against representatives of opposition parties in the shortest time possible and to provide public with comprehensive information on the progress of the investigation.