Miners protesting in Chiatura convicted of beating mine director

A Kutaisi court sentenced four protesters in Chiatura to prison, finding them guilty of beating the mine director.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," on April 29, 2025, three miners and a Chiatura resident were detained after a conflict with Shukruti mine director Tengiz Koberidze. Those detained were miners Merab Saralidze, Georgiy Nefaridze (also referred to in the media as Neparidze), and Archil Chumburidze, as well as Tengiz Gvelesiani. An investigation was opened under Article 118 of the Georgian Criminal Code (serious harm to health).

The Kutaisi City Court has found all four detainees in Chiatura guilty, Interpressnews reported today.

The judge sentenced Merab Saralidze and Giorgi Neparidze to six years and three months in prison, while Tengiz Gvelesiani and Archil Chumburidze were sentenced to four years and three months in prison, the publication writes.

As a reminder, miners in Chiatura have been protesting since February 28, 2025. On March 8, Chiatura Management Company, the manganese mining company, notified its workers of their dismissal, citing dire financial circumstances.

On March 30, the strikers announced they were ending their rallies and would begin blockading Chiatura. Miners Merab Saralidze and Simon Mikatsadze declared a hunger strike but ended their protest after meeting with a church representative. In mid-May, the head of Chiatura Management Company met with striking miners and announced the opening of one of the mines.

On May 1, 2025, participants in a rally in Chiatura, timed to coincide with Labor Rights Day, demanded the release of the arrested miners and called on the authorities to intervene.

In June 2025, four members of the miners' initiative group held a hunger strike in Chiatura, demanding the release of those arrested in April. one of the arrested miners, Merab Saralidze, also went on a hunger strike.

Chiatura miners also held protests in 2024. Thus, in June 2024, workers went on strike, demanding decent pay and improved working conditions. They later moved to street protests, joined by the miners' families. On June 24, the miners and company management reached an agreement to end the strike and hunger strike. Management promised to raise wages first by 5%, then to 12%.

In November 2024, mine workers held protests again. They stated that the 60% of their wages that management offered them during the downtime was not enough for a normal existence.