Georgian Dream members hospitalised after alleged assault by United National Movement activists

Three members of the youth wing of Georgia’s ruling Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia (GDDG) party have been hospitalised after they were allegedly physically assaulted by supporters of opposition United National Movement (UNM) party last night.

Two of the victims suffered head injuries and concussion, while the third had superficial injuries to his head, said doctors.

The less seriously injured person was released from hospital this morning but the two with head injuries – a male and female - remained in hospital. As well as head injuries, the woman had bruising around her neck.

The incident took place about 21:00 yesterday in Didinedzi Village in the Zugdidi district of Georgia’s western Samegrelo region.

The three victims were members of the youth wing of GDDG and were allegedly attacked as they distributed election flyers in the village.

Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs said investigation into the incident had launched.

Meanwhile Georgia’s Deputy Health Minister Valeri Kvaratskhelia condemned the attack and visited the three victims in hospital late last night.

"Both people have had a CT scan and a radiography examination. Their condition is now stable and I hope no further complications occur,” he said.

Public Defender's reaction 

Georgia’s Public Defender UchaNanuashvili called on law enforcers to thoroughly investigate the case and to adequately punish all the offenders involved.

Representatives of the Public Defender’s Office visited the injured GDDG members at hospital and interviewed them about what happened.

Nanuashvili said the woman – whos suffered the most serious injuries – had been struck in the head and didn’t remember the incident or how she became injured, but one of the injured men said the trio were distributing campaign flyers when several UNM activists chased them in a car before abusing them verbally then physically.

He remembered the woman "lying in a canal and being hit with a stone to her head”. Before this, however, he said the driver of the vehicle stood over the woman and tried to choke her with his hands around her neck.