Georgian national who was attacked by Georgian Dream MPs stripped of citizenship

Lasha Gabitashvili, a Georgian man who made headlines after being attacked by Georgian Dream MPs in Abu Dhabi, has been stripped of his Georgian citizenship for failing to obtain consent to receive his Israeli citizenship.

Gabitashvili, who was born in Georgia, announced on Monday that he was stripped of his citizenship.

In a video he published on Facebook, Gabitashvili explained that his citizenship was revoked for failing to obtain the state’s consent to his dual citizenship.

He told OC Media that he acquired Israeli citizenship in 2024 through his wife, who is an Israeli national.

‘[Georgia] has a program allowing you to apply to retain your Georgian citizenship when you acquire another citizenship. I hadn’t applied in advance when I took another citizenship, but that wasn’t mandatory, since Israel didn’t require any confirmation or documentation. So, technically, I hadn’t been refused Georgian citizenship’, he said.

‘I live in Georgia, I haven’t left it, my passport hasn’t expired. I live here and acquired Israeli citizenship while living here’, he told OC Media. ‘So, in February, I applied to the Public Service Hall to retain my citizenship. I was summoned for an interview, which I attended. I explained that I was born in Georgia, I have two children who are Georgian citizens, and we are expecting a third’.

He added that he received a message earlier in May telling him that his request was denied. Gabitashvili believes that the decision to strip him of his citizenship was politically motivated.

Gabitashvili previously made headlines in January after being attacked by ruling Georgian Dream party MPs Irakli Zarkua, Viktor Sanikidze, and Gela Samkharaulia in Abu Dhabi. The physical altercation took place a day after Gabitashvili confronted the MPs over their party’s policies at the hotel they were staying at the day before.

Upon returning to Georgia, Gabitashvili reported being attacked again, that time on one of the streets of Tbilisi, by three masked individuals — an incident he believed was a continuation of what happened in Abu Dhabi.

Asked whether he believed that the revocation of his passport was related to the scuffle in Abu Dhabi, Gabitashvili said yes, adding that ‘they want to exclude every person who is critical or in opposition from society — or try to force them out of the country’.

‘This is Georgian Dream’s policy’, Gabitashvili told OC Media.

Zarkua denied any connection between the incident and the revocation of Gabitashvili’s citizenship.

Gabitashvili noted that Israeli nationals are allowed to stay in Georgia without a visa for up to a year, but expressed concern over recent amendments to the migration law, which would allow the state to deport foreigners or ban their entry into Georgia if they have committed certain administrative offences.

Gabitashvili told OC Media that he is currently embroiled in a court process for what he said was ‘interfering with police work’ after filming the police mistreating a civilian in Tbilisi in late April.

Georgian legislation bars Georgians from having dual citizenship without the consent of the state.

According to Georgia’s Foreign Ministry, Georgian nationals may only retain their citizenship upon acquiring a different passport only if they obtain prior consent.

However, in response to an anonymous inquiry by OC Media the Public Service Hall, the state agency responsible for public services, said that Georgian nationals are able to apply to retain their passports even after acquiring a different citizenship.

The Public Service Hall added that when a Georgian citizen obtains the citizenship of another country and the Georgian state becomes aware of it, the authorities have the right to initiate the procedure to terminate their Georgian citizenship.

However, Gabitashvili told OC Media that he had not received any formal decision regarding the termination of his citizenship.

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.

OC MediaMikheil Gvadzabia