Head of Opposition Presidential Candidate’s Election Headquarters Wounded
By Tea Mariamidze
Monday, November 26
Otar Burdiladze, Head of the United Opposition candidate Grigol Vashadze’s election headquarters in Oni has been wounded.
The incident took place on November 22 after which one person was detained by the police for premeditated murder attempt.
“Kutaisi City Court granted the motion of the prosecution and applied the measure of detention against K.I. for the attempted murder of Nodar Burdiladze,” Georgia’s Prosecutor’s Office reports.
The investigation into the case continues under the articles 19-108 of the Criminal Code of Georgia. The detained man faces imprisonment from 7 to 15 years if found guilty.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs, which was initially investigating the case, says that a police officer witnessed the Oni incident. The ministry added he has been suspended from duties until the investigation is over.
“Taking into consideration the fact that a police officer witnessed the incident, the case has been handed over to the Prosecutor's Office for investigation, while the police have been suspended from duties until the end of the investigation," reads the statement.
The Ministry underlined that the confrontation in Oni was not politically motivated.
One of the leaders of the United Opposition, Nika Melia says late at night two ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party activists visited Burdiladze and verbally insulted him. According to Melia, this resulted in a physical confrontation after which the two GD activists inflicted three injuries to Burdiladze with a cold weapon.
Melia explains that the police did not arrive at the wounded man’s house soon so he decided to drive to the hospital himself, during which, he became unwell and had an accident. Melia says Burdiladze managed to reach the hospital but claims he was not provided with the timely medical help.
According to the opposition MP, Oni Mayor, Emzar Sabanadze also arrived in the hospital, but Melia says the mayor wanted to record the incident as the injuries inflicted during the road accident, not as a result of the conflict between the supporters of the two political parties.
Oni mayor rejects Melia’s accusations.
Burdiladze was transferred from Oni to Tbilisi’s Gudushauri clinic. The doctor says his health condition is grave but stable.
