A former MP has been convicted in Batumi in a domestic violence case.

A court found former Georgian MP Luka Kurtanidze guilty of beating his ex-wife and sentenced him to seven months in prison.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," on July 27, Georgian police announced the arrest of former MP and European freestyle wrestling champion Luka (Eldar) Kurtanidze, accused of domestic violence. He faced up to two years in prison.

The Batumi City Court found Luka Kurtanidze guilty of domestic violence and sentenced him to seven months in prison, InterPressNews reported on the evening of December 5.

The defense agrees with the court's decision, Kurtanidze's lawyer said. "[The court] sentenced him to seven months in prison. The sentence began on July 27; he has already served five months, and he will be released from the penitentiary in about two months," the publication quoted him as saying.

The incident for which Kurtanidze was convicted occurred in the summer of 2025 in Kobuleti. In court, the former athlete pleaded for leniency, describing a difficult and strained relationship with his ex-wife. He claimed she deceived him into giving up his property, promising to return to him but never did, according to Novosti-Georgia.

Georgian women demand protection from sexual harassment

As a reminder, human rights activists have repeatedly highlighted the problems with women's rights in Georgia. In particular, in January 2024, the non-governmental organization "Center for Social Justice" called on the country's authorities to protect women from violence.

Women's rights in Georgia remain inadequate, and violence remains the main problem in this area. President Salome Zurabishvili also acknowledged the problem of violence against women in the country.

In many regions of the Caucasus, spousal violence remains the main source of threat to women. The problem of domestic violence in this region is exacerbated by the position of women in society and the family, where victims traditionally avoid seeking outside help, human rights activists interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" said in April 2018.