Investigation begins over the acts of violence involving TV Pirveli's founder and representatives of Georgian Dream Party at the U.S. Embassy

| News, Georgia

The Georgian Prosecutor's Office said on July 19 that an inquiry had been launched into the June 30 violence and threats involving TV Pirveli founder Vakhtang (Vato) Tsereteli and officials of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party at the U.S. Embassy. Tsereteli said that GD MP Anri Okhanashvili, who chairs the Legal Affairs Committee, assaulted him brutally as they were celebrating American Independence Day at the Embassy on that day [June 30]. In addition to MP Okhanashvili, Irakli Zarkua, Beka Odisharia, and Levan Mgaloblishvili were present. Tsereteli said that Okhanashvili and another MP struck him in the face as the group approached him yelling. 

The GD MPs denied the accusation. Okhanashvili said that Tsereteli approached him to whisper something in his ear and staged a vile provocation for which he received the appropriate response. According to the prosecutor's office, the investigation was initiated in line with Georgia's Criminal Code Articles 126 and 151. According to the statement, MP Okhanashvili appealed to them over Tsereteli's threats, while Tsereteli talked with the prosecutor about a possible attack against him. In the meantime, Member of Parliament Mgaloblishvili also made a plea about possible violence against him. 

Tsereteli said, "Anri Okhanashvili is not mentally disturbed or insane enough for anything to have happened to him at that moment, therefore I am convinced that everything was planned." The founder of TV Pirveli said, "Whether the prosecutor wants to or not, they will be unable to dismiss this issue and will be forced to resolve it since they must acknowledge what transpired on the grounds of the U.S. Embassy." According to TV Pirveli, Tsereteli also accused GD MPs for the death of TV Pirveli cameraman Alexander (Lekso) Lashkarava, who was found dead in his apartment last year a few days after being assaulted by far-right, anti-Tbilisi Pride mobs. 

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