Khabeishvili on Special Forces: They Shouted, Kill Him and Then Say He Hit His Head

"While I was being interviewed at the rally, I saw a young kid being dragged by robocops live on air. When I saw this, I approached them and told them not to treat the child like that, as he was just a child. After that, I was surrounded by special forces, more correctly the Kharaba group. They continued to beat me for about 10-15 minutes, and I want to tell you what they were saying. While beating me, they said: You criticize the government all the time with your long tongue, maybe you should stop. They shouted: Kill him and then say that he hit his head. They also said that I should have claimed to be a coward, and then they wouldn't abuse me anymore.

I obviously wasn't given that luxury. They filmed it with a phone, and you [members of the ruling Georgian Dream] will see it eventually. They used to say that if I told them I was a coward, they wouldn't hit me again. When they received that response, they hit me even harder.

This is what Russia looks like; what you see on my body. Unfortunately, too many children have woken up to this reality. You might be pleased that Khabeishvili is experiencing this, but our children were also chased there," Khabeishvili said in the audience hall.

The National Movement chairman has called on Georgian Dream to cease discussions on Russian Law.

"I remember the majority leader saying that not even a single hair of a young man is worth any kind of law to us. Today is Easter Sunday, and God bless everyone who celebrated it, but

I would like to ask you again: if you are not concerned about my situation - the main opposition party chairman being treated like this, then there is no democracy in the country - maybe you will pass this law because of those youth who lost a strand of hair, were hit in the head, and bruised.

There are 5 months left before the elections. I may not be able to see it from this perspective, but the country will realize it in 5 months. Please stop discussing the law. The elections are in 5 months, and let the people decide. If you do not do this, I call on the Georgian citizens to come out and protect the Georgian national interests," said Levan Khabeishvili.

On April 30, concurrently with the second reading discussion of the Russian Law at the Parliament plenary session, another rally took place in Tbilisi. Citizens blocked Rustaveli Avenue, and some approached the Parliament's entrances, from where the Georgian Dream deputies, authors and supporters of the Russian Law, were supposed to exit after the session. Special Tasks Department Employees and the Internal Affairs Ministry various units forcibly removed the protesters. Pepper spray, tear gas, and water cannons were used to disperse the peaceful demonstration. Security personnel physically assaulted the young demonstrators. According to the Public Defender's assessment, the action was peaceful, and there was no justification for using force by the Internal Affairs Ministry.

Levan Khabeishvili stated that the purposeful punitive measure against him was carried out by the Special Tasks Department director, Zviad Kharazishvili, also known as Khareb. Khabeishvili has broken nose bones, broken teeth, and a damaged eye. Internal Affairs Deputy Minister, Aleksandre Darakhvelidze, did not confirm the fact of beating the MP. At today's briefing, he stated that Levan Khabeishvili himself broke through the police cordon and resisted the policemen, during which he was injured.

The Internal Affairs Ministry arrested 63 people at the rally, citing petty hooliganism and disobedience to the legal demands of the police as administrative reasons.