Aleksandre Elisashvili, a leader of the Strong Georgia coalition, is currently detained at the Dusheti detention center. He has been arrested on charges of persecuting Ali Babaev, a member of Georgian Dream, and faces a potential sentence of up to three years in prison.
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According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the investigation revealed that Aleksandre Elisashvili attacked Ali Babaev, born in 1954 and a member of Georgian Dream, at a pharmacy on Kostava Street in Tbilisi. Elisashvili is accused of physically assaulting Babaev due to his political affiliations.
However, according to Elisashvili's lawyer, the politician maintains his innocence and claims he did not know Babaev.
“It was a provocation on Babaev’s part. His mother complained, and Aleko Elisashvili responded appropriately. We have evidence showing that Ali Babaev picked up a piece of iron with the intent to strike and harm Elisashvili. He acted in self-defence. Despite this, charges were filed not against Babaev, but against Aleko Elisashvili,” said lawyer Giorgi Rekhviashvili in an interview with TV Pirveli.
Elisashvili was arrested yesterday while leaving the Courtyard Marriott hotel following a meeting of opposition leaders. According to his lawyer, Elisashvili shows signs of physical abuse, with visible injuries on his face and complaints of pain in his back and ribs.
“We demand that he be transferred to a medical facility,” the lawyer stated.
On the night of December 2, Ali Babaev appeared on the government propaganda TV channel Imedi and alleged that Aleksandre Elisashvili verbally and physically assaulted him. The presenters on Imedi introduced Babaev as the chairman of the National Congress of Azerbaijanis in Georgia.
“He touched me several times. Eventually, I passed out and lost consciousness. I called an ambulance and am now in the hospital undergoing examinations. I have known Aleko Elisashvili for a long time. We had no prior conflict. I only once commented on social media, calling his actions at the committee meeting, where he suddenly struck Mr Mamuka Mdinaradze, a scoundrel behavior. I demand that he be punished immediately,” Babaev stated during the broadcast.
On December 4, Imedi also aired video footage of the confrontation between Babaev and Elisashvili.
