27 October 2003, 12:54
Opposition bloc leader was brutally beaten
David Berdzenishvili, one of the leaders of "Saakashvili ? National Movement" bloc, chairman of the Republican Party of Georgia and MP candidate for Batoumi, was brutally beaten by supporters of Aslan Abashidze, president of the Ajarian Republic. He was taken to Poti city hospital with concussion.
Berdzenishvili was attacked at the Choloki check point.
As he stated to the correspondent, Ajarian authorities sent some tens of people to Choloki, who brutally beat him in front of TV cameras. The attackers also smashed up Berdzenishvili's car.
Several journalists were injured during the incident. The attackers wore civilian clothes but police were also present at the scene.
On October 23, a rally arranged by David Berdzenishvili was broken up in Batumi, with several people sustaining serious injuries as a result, including the bloc's leader Koba Davitashvili and MP candidates Koba Khabazi and Givi Targamadze.
At the same time "National Movement"'s offices in Batumi and Kobuleti were smashed up.
The Ajarian Autonomous Republic's Security Council issued a statement on the night of October 24 saying that the local authorities had stopped an attempt made by members of "Saakashvili ? National Movement" pre-election bloc to destabilize a situation in Batumi on October 23. The Security Council recommended that local law-enforcement agencies instigate criminal proceedings on the fact of "public order violation" carried out by the members of "National Movement".
Source: Prima News Agency
