Four Arrested in Chiatura as Mining Dispute Intensifies
On April 29, four individuals were arrested on charges of assaulting Tengiz Koberidze, the director of the Shukruti mine, as tensions escalate in an ongoing labor dispute between miners and the management company in Chiatura, a western industrial town in Georgia. The town’s residents have relied heavily on the mining industry for decades and are facing a dire financial crisis as the protests have intensified in recent months.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs said the suspects are charged with intentionally causing less serious harm to health, an offense punishable by up to six years in prison under Article 118, Part 2 of the Criminal Code.
According to protesters, three of the detainees – Giorgi Neparidze, Merab Saralidze, and Tengiz Gvelesiani – were taken from their protest tent, while Archil Chumburidze was arrested at his home. The arrests sparked protests in Chiatura, where miners called for public support.
Six miners have been on hunger strike since April 28, while one miner, Irakli Jikidze, who has been on dry hunger strike for several days, required medical attention.
The Chiatura Management Company said on April 23 that it planned to begin reorganization and resume production, pledging that the process would be conducted transparently. It promised that current employees would have equal access to new positions through a three-stage internal competition and would be led by “highly qualified manager Mikhail Sotski,” a Russian businessman.
In turn, on April 24, miners published the alleged CMC’s proposed seven-point agreement, which, if signed, would indicate employees’ consent to a restructuring plan. The agreement includes a clause stating that some workers may be laid off, that the company would not guarantee reemployment, and that an eight-hour workday would be introduced.
On April 28, Vakhtang Natsvlishvili, the miners’ lawyer, called the agreement manipulative and said to the media that the workers lack crucial information regarding post-reorganization working conditions, including staffing plans and hiring procedures.
Protesters are demanding direct intervention from the GD government to resolve the crisis and oppose a company reorganization plan. Such pleas have so far not yielded results. Miners announced plans for a large-scale demonstration in Chiatura on May 1, International Workers’ Day.
The current crisis in Chiatura began in November 2024 when Georgian Manganese initially suspended operations. At the time, the company promised to resolve financial issues within four months and to pay miners 60% of their salaries during the shutdown. However, protesters claim these commitments were not fulfilled.
In February, the Georgian Manganese announced the complete shutdown of the mining operations, which has left around 3,500 workers facing layoffs. In March, hundreds of Chiatura miners rallied in the capital, Tbilisi, in front of the Government administration building, demanding nationalization of the mining industry and payment of owed salaries.
On April 30, defense lawyer Mariam Pataridze said the Prosecutor’s Office had reclassified the charges against the detained miners as more serious offenses. Merab Saralidze and Giorgi Neparidze are now accused of organizing and participating in group violence, while Archil Chumburidze and Tengiz Gvelesiani face charges of participation only. The court hearing to decide on pretrial measures for the detained miners is scheduled for May 1.
The charges fall under Article 225 of Georgia’s Criminal Code, which criminalizes organizing, leading, or taking part in group violence and is punishable by six to nine years in prison for organizers and four to six years for participants.
This article was updated on May 1 at 15:45 to include information regarding the reclassification of charges against the detained miners.
Also Read:
- 18/03/2025 – Chiatura Miners Protest Industry Shutdown, Demand Nationalization
- 06/12/2023 – Chiatura Miners Reach Agreement with Georgian Manganese
- 01/12/2023 – Chiatura Miners Go On Strike Over Unfulfilled Promises
- 26/06/2023 – Striking Chiatura Miners Reach Agreement with Employer
- 23/06/2023 – “Georgian Manganese” Declares Readiness to Transfer Chiatura Mines to Miners
- 12/06/2023 – Chiatura Miners Strike, Demand Raise and Improved Working Conditions
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