The former deputy of Georgian Dream and former president of the Wrestling Federation, Eldar (Luka) Kurtanidze, has been charged with violence against his former wife, damaging her car, and violating a protective order. The Prosecutor's Office requests pre-trial detention as a measure of restraint for the accused.
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“It was established that the accused violated the requirements and obligations stipulated by the protective order issued by the court, which prohibited him from approaching his former wife, communicating with her, and going to the place and house where the victim was located. He twice went to the victim’s residence, including on July 25 in Kobuleti, where, due to intolerance of equality between a woman and a man, he physically assaulted his former wife and damaged her car,” reads the statement released by the Prosecutor's Office.
Kurtanidze was arrested on July 27 following the release of video footage depicting the alleged violence by the victim, Khatuna Mikatsadze. Mikatsadze claims her former husband has subjected her to years of abuse.
"This isn't the first, second, or even tenth time," Mikatsadze said. "Every time I went to the police, they told me that because he's Eldar Kurtanidze, we shouldn't 'sacrifice' him, and should limit it to psychological violence. I hope now, with police officers witnessing this physical assault, they can no longer claim it was just psychological," Khatuna Mikatsadze said.
Kurtanidze is being held in a temporary detention isolator. His lawyer, Ivane Meparishvili, stated that Kurtanidze maintains his innocence.
"He says that this is a political provocation against him before the elections. He is associated with Georgian Dream. Therefore, certain groups are trying to create a perception in society that Georgian Dream members abuse women and are abusers," the lawyer told TV Pirveli.
Luka Kurtanidze has been charged under three articles of the Criminal Code: Article 126 Prima, Part 1 (violence against a family member causing physical pain), Article 11 Prima 187, Part 1 (intentional damage to a family member's property causing significant harm), and Article 11 Prima 381 Prima, Part 1, two episodes (non-compliance with the requirements and obligations stipulated by a protective order regarding a family member).
According to the Prosecutor's Office, the crime carries a penalty of up to 5 years in prison.
Luka Kurtanidze is a multiple world and European champion in freestyle wrestling and a two-time Olympic bronze medalist. From 2012 to 2014, he served as the President of the Georgian Wrestling Federation. In 2015, he became a member of the 8th convocation of Parliament through the Georgian Dream party list. After his parliamentary mandate expired in 2017, Kurtanidze was a project manager at the Police Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. According to TV Pirveli, he was removed from this position after a young woman accused him of violence. TV Pirveli also reported that since 2022, Georgian Dream has employed Luka Kurtanidze at JSC Georgian Oil and Gas Corporation. Kurtanidze previously physically assaulted a female journalist who questioned him about his activities.
