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Georgian Dream MPs fined by UAE authorities for attacking Georgian national in Abu Dhabi

Georgian Dream’s parliamentary leader Mamuka Mdinaradze (left) and Georgian Dream MP Viktor Sanikidze brawling in Abu Dhabi (right).
Georgian Dream’s parliamentary leader Mamuka Mdinaradze (left) and Georgian Dream MP Viktor Sanikidze brawling in Abu Dhabi (right).

Georgian Dream has confirmed that their MPs Irakli Zarkua and Viktor Sanikidze had been fined by the authorities in the UAE for attacking a Georgian national in Abu Dhabi.

On Wednesday, Georgian Dream’s parliamentary leader Mamuka Mdinaradze told reporters that both Zarkua and Sanikidze were back in Tbilisi. He added that fines were imposed on ‘both sides’ of the fight — suggesting that Lasha Gabitashvili, the Georgian national they had attacked, was fined as well.

Mdinaradze claimed that neither Zarkua nor Sanikidze were in police custody, but said that they had spent ‘a day and a half at the police station’ where ‘very intensive investigations were underway’.

Mdinaradze denied earlier reports made by opposition aligned TV channel Mtavari that the MPs were fined $80,000 by the authorities in Abu Dhabi, and said that he ‘can not remember’ the amount they were fined, but that it ‘was not that large’.

On Thursday, Mtavari also reported that the two Georgian Dream MPs were banned from entering the UAE. They also cited an anonymous source as saying that a companion of theirs, Giorgi Gogoladze, was ‘likely still in prison in Abu Dhabi’.

Zarkua and Sanikidze attacked Georgian national Lasha Gabitashvili on 13 January at the Radisson Blu in Abu Dhabi, a day after Gabitashvili had confronted them over the ruling party’s policies.

The incident resulted in a chaotic scene that was caught on video that was then widely shared on social media.

The incident involved Irakli Zarkua, Viktor Sanikidze, Gela Samkharauli, and Gocha Enukidze — all of whom are Georgian Dream MPs.

The conflict took place in the hotel’s dining area on Monday. In a video shared on social media, which is believed to show the beginning of the incident, Zarkua can be seen approaching Gabitashvili, who was having breakfast, throwing food at his face, and physically assaulting him.

Another video shows Gabitashvili on top of Zarkua, at which point Sanikidze is seen rushing from behind and striking Gabitashvili.

In yet another video, Gabitashvili and the MPs can be seen exchanging insults. In response to one of the insults, as Sanikidze was walking toward the exit, he turned around and attacked Gabitashvili again, but Gabitashvili defended himself and retaliated. At this moment, MP Samkharauli also physically confronted Gabitashvili.

Speaking at the briefing on Wednesday, Mdinaradze stated that ‘if someone attacks me, I will definitely respond. Violence can never be justified in any case’.

‘It’s hard for a Georgian man to tolerate swearing at his swearing’, Mdinaradze said. ‘Neither has their swaggy rooster’s manliness shown, nor their Georgianness’.

Gabitashvili released a statement on 17 January, confirming that he had been in police custody in Abu Dhabi, and that he had been released.

Georgian Dream MPs attack Georgian citizen in Abu Dhabi hotel, sparking violent chaos
The incident was caught on film and widely shared on social media.

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