On the night of January 14–15, 2025, in the lobby of the Sheraton Hotel in Batumi, a group composed of representatives of the “Georgian Dream” party physically and verbally assaulted Zviad Koridze – the regional office manager of “Transparency International Georgia,” a well-known journalist, and civic activist.

The attackers were led by Dimitri Samkharadze – one of the most infamous figures in Bidzina Ivanishvili’s inner circle and the regional secretary of “Georgian Dream.”

Others involved in the attack included:

• Giorgi Manvelidze – former chair of the “Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia” faction in the Supreme Council of Adjara and then-Deputy Minister of Finance and Economy of Adjara.
• Gocha Samkharadze – allegedly a relative of Dimitri Samkharadze and the driver of one of the accompanying individuals.
• And several other individuals.

Zviad Koridze was in Batumi on a work assignment, observing the court proceedings in the case of political prisoner and journalist Mzia Amaglobeli.

How Did Events Unfold?

▶ Obstruction of the Investigation After the Attack:
 Although the assault took place in front of numerous eyewitnesses and was fully captured on the hotel’s surveillance cameras, the Adjara Prosecutor’s Office did not bring any criminal charges for months.

Only after our organization published a statement about the case on April 11, 2025, and the issue gained public attention, did the prosecutor’s office take some action.

▶ Prosecutor’s Incomplete and Distorted Response:

•  On April 17, 2025, Prosecutor Paata Tsetskhladze charged only one person – Gocha Samkharadze – who struck Koridze.
• No charges were filed against Dimitri Samkharadze, Giorgi Manvelidze, or the other members of the group.

The official report by the prosecutor severely downplayed and distorted the violence committed against Zviad Koridze. Specifically, it omitted:

• How Dimitri Samkharadze hurled profanities at Koridze;
• How he aggressively kicked the armchair Koridze was sitting on;
• How his behavior encouraged his associates to act similarly;
• How a flower pot filled with soil was thrown at Koridze;
• How Giorgi Manvelidze shouted at Koridze, questioning how he dared come to Batumi – as if Batumi were the private property of “Georgian Dream” representatives.

What Are Our Accusations Toward the Prosecutor’s Office and the Court?

Toward the Prosecutor’s Office: Bias and Inaction

•  Despite the group violence, only one individual was charged, leaving the other attackers unpunished.
• The prosecutor’s office deliberately concealed the full scope of the crime and the roles of other participants.

Toward the Court: Distortion of Truth and Leniency Toward the Perpetrator

• On June 24, 2025, Judge Viktor Metreveli found Gocha Samkharadze guilty under Article 126 of the Criminal Code and fined him only 3,000 GEL.
• This verdict is yet another example of how the regime protects its own violent supporters.

Why Is This Case Symbolic?

This case is symbolic because the Batumi incident involving Zviad Koridze is closely connected to the trial of Mzia Amaglobeli. While journalist Mzia Amaglobeli faces a minimum 4-year prison sentence for slapping a police officer, only one participant in the group assault on Koridze has been punished – and with an inappropriately lenient sentence.

This authoritarian regime not only intensifies pressure on those who oppose inequality and injustice but also shields those who uphold the regime through acts of violence.