22:12, 29 January 2025

Georgian activist links his kidnapping to participation in protests

Participants in a protest rally in Tbilisi. Photo taken by Beslan Kmuzov on December 23, 2024, for the "Caucasian Knot"

Vakho Pitskhelauri, an activist, was kidnapped and beaten up by unknown persons; he managed to escape. He believes that his kidnapping had to do with his participation in protests against the policy of the “Georgian Dream” Party.

According to Vakho, the kidnapping occurred when he was near his home and on his way to the store. Unknown masked men grabbed him, shoved him into a van, took him to some deserted area and beat him up, threatening to kill him.

"As far as I know, he has not received any threats before. He goes to rallies in Tbilisi every day and protests against the ‘Georgian Dream’ Party regime. During the beating, they told him that they knew who he was and what he was doing and that they would kill him if he did not stop going to rallies. Vakho Pitskhelauri has a wife and two small children," Teona Pankevelashvili, an activist and Vakho’s acquaintance, has explained.

A criminal case has been opened on the fact of the attack on Pitskhelauri under the article on group violence.

Law enforcers conducted violent dispersals of protest actions by using tear gas and water cannons, and detained protesters. By December 9, 2024, more than 400 people had been detained.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on January 28, 2025 at 04:56 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Author: Galina Gotua

Source: СK correspondent