
The Daily Beat: 13 January
GD MPs Irakli Zarkua, Viktor Sanikidze, and Gela Samkharauli have been implicated in a brawl in Abu-Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on January 13, where they physically assaulted a Georgian citizen, Lasha Gabitashvili. MPs were reportedly in Abu Dhabi on a private trip to attend a concert with their family members and other GD representatives. Following the incident, Gabitashvili reportedly called the police and filed a complaint in the local Abu-Dhabi court.
Batumelebi, an online newspaper, alleged that the police intentionally targeted its cameraman, Guram Murvanidze, on the night of January 12, and called upon international partners to intervene. Murvanidze was arrested in the coastal city of Batumi during a protest at the local police department building. “Guram’s account underscores that the police’s aggression escalated after he disclosed his affiliation with “Batumelebi,” the publication says in its letter addressed to the international partners.
Civil society organizations have expressed concerns about the detention of 16 individuals in Tbilisi and Batumi, as well as the dismissal of public servants. The CSOs highlighted indications of violations and political persecution. They also mentioned working with international organizations to gather all necessary documentation. During a briefing, Eka Gigauri, the Executive Director of Transparency International – Georgia, outlined significant violations that occurred during the court proceedings on January 10-11.
Another Georgian citizen, Kakha Tilidze was killed in fighting in Ukraine. The Georgian Foreign Ministry confirmed the information to Civil.ge on January 12. The details of his death are not yet known. The latest casualty brings to 63 the unofficial number of Georgian citizens who have died fighting in Ukraine since the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022.
The Data of the Day
On January 13, the National Statistics Service of Georgia (Geostat) published express data indicating that the external merchandise trade (excluding non-declared trade) of Georgia increased by 8% in 2024 compared to the previous year, amounting to USD 23.429 billion. According to Geostat, Georgia’s exports increased by 7.8% year-on-year, reaching USD 6.56 billion, while imports grew by 8.1% to USD 16.86 billion.