A confrontation between guests attending a wedding and visitors from Russia at Agarani Estate hotel in Telavi, eastern Georgia, on July 18 has resulted in the arrest of Georgian citizen Giorgi Chigladze.
He has been charged under Article 120 of Georgia’s Criminal Code, which criminalises the intentional infliction of minor bodily harm. The prosecution has requested bail as the only pretrial preventive measure, rather than remand in custody.
The offence is punishable by a fine, community service, house arrest, or imprisonment up to 3 years. Authorities have not publicly specified which paragraph of the article the charge relates to or provided further details of the allegation.
On July 19, Polina Kurta posted a video on social media showing the alleged assault, claiming that men in Georgia had broken into their hotel room and beaten women for speaking in Russian language.
Chigladze is the brother of the groom. According to his lawyer, family members and friends, the confrontation was initiated by the visitors from Russia, who allegedly poured liquid from a balcony, damaging the wedding’s audio equipment, and then verbally assaulted the wedding guests.
They reject claims that the incident was triggered by the Russian language and have published video footage showing wedding guests speaking to the women on the balcony, including in Russian.
“Giorgi Chigladze was the victim of a provocation organised by Russians and is himself a victim,” – claims his lawyer, Lasha Kapanadze.
Chigladze’s lawyer says his client went upstairs only after the dispute continued and the hotel failed to stop the confrontation. According to the defence, Chigladze knocked on the door and an argument followed. The lawyer claims the woman scratched his neck and struck him in the chest, after which Chigladze raised his arm to fend off the attack, hitting her in the face with his elbow, causing her to fall.
The woman involved in the incident, Alyona Nesteryuk, who travelled from Russia, denies that the assault was preceded by any provocation by the tourists.
However, she acknowledges that there may have been a “misunderstanding and argument” between the visitors from Russia and the Georgian wedding guests.
Her interview was published on the social media page of Mamuka Pipia, a businessman holding both Russian and Georgian citizenship and the leader of the pro-Kremlin political party Solidarity for Peace.
Giorgi Chigladze’s letter was published on the evening of July 20.
“I am currently being held at the Gurjaani pretrial detention facility. My lawyers, Mariam Durglishvili and Lasha Kapanadze, are providing me with all the necessary information.
Thank you for your support. I will continue to fight and defend our dignity until the end.
I am sorry that the woman was injured, but I did not intend for this to happen.
Even an unintentional action committed during a conflict can have serious consequences for anyone. Therefore, I ask everyone: try not to fall for provocations and do not act in a moment of anger caused by an insult.”
Hotel says it tried to de-escalate the situation
Agarani Estate has also released a detailed statement describing the events leading up to the incident.
According to the hotel, the wedding occupied part of the property, accounting for “approximately one-third of the hotel’s accommodation capacity.”
“The hotel was almost fully booked that day, and other guests had been informed in advance that a wedding event would be taking place on the premises,” the statement says.
The hotel states that a verbal confrontation between wedding guests and other hotel guests began at approximately 20:16. It confirms that the dispute was preceded by liquid being poured onto the wedding’s audio equipment.
“Video footage in the hotel’s possession shows wedding guests looking towards the upper floors of the hotel and pointing to a particular situation. The confrontation was preceded by liquid being poured onto the music equipment.
“As soon as the incident was identified, hotel staff and security personnel intervened and attempted to de-escalate the situation. At 20:20, approximately four minutes after the verbal confrontation began, hotel employees went to the guests’ room.”
According to the statement, hotel staff remained with the guests for six minutes in an effort to calm the situation. At 20:28, security personnel informed the wedding party that the hotel planned to move the guests to another room to prevent any further visual or other contact between the two groups.
“Between 20:30 and 20:37, the reception desk searched for an alternative room. During the same period, the hotel contacted the guests’ tour guide, informed them about the conflict, and asked them to come to the hotel. The possibility of transferring the guests to another hotel was also discussed.”
The hotel says police were called at 20:39, before the physical confrontation occurred.
“At 20:40, security staff noticed one of the wedding guests going to the upper floor by lift. A hotel employee immediately followed him. However, before the lift returned and the employee reached the third floor, the physical confrontation had already taken place by 20:42.”
According to the hotel, an ambulance was then called and arrived at 21:09. The guests’ tour guide and a patrol police unit arrived at the hotel at 20:55.
“We emphasise that the hotel administration used all available means to prevent the incident and de-escalate the situation. Several security staff members became involved immediately and attempted to prevent contact between the parties and avoid a physical confrontation. The hotel is cooperating with the investigation. All available video recordings and other relevant information have been handed over to law enforcement authorities.
At the same time, we recognise that despite our efforts, the incident could not ultimately be prevented, and we accept our share of responsibility.”
Investigation
Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs has opened a criminal investigation under Article 120 of the Criminal Code, which concerns the intentional infliction of minor bodily harm. Chigladze has been arrested in connection with the incident.
The Prosecutor’s Office has requested bail of 5,000 GEL as the pretrial preventive measure.
According to the Interior Ministry, witness statements indicate that foreign nationals staying at the hotel insulted wedding guests from the balcony of their room and poured water onto the wedding’s audio equipment.
The ministry alleges that Chigladze subsequently inflicted bodily injuries on a female foreign national.
Chigladze’s lawyer, Lasha Kapanadze, says the woman also injured his client by scratching his neck. He argues that Chigladze “was the victim of a provocation organised by Russians and is himself a victim.”
Chigladze’s brother alleges that the hotel guests deliberately poured water onto the audio equipment because they were disturbed by the noise from the wedding, spat at the guests, and verbally abused them.
Nesteryuk denies that the assault was preceded by any provocation by the visitors from Russia. However, she acknowledges that there may have been a “misunderstanding and argument” between the visitors from Russia and the Georgian wedding guests.
UPDATE:
On July 21, Giorgi Chigladze was released from the courtroom after the court set bail at 5,000 GEL.
Speaking to journalists outside the courthouse, Chigladze said:
“I regret it. However, it was never my intention for this to end the way it did.”
According to Chigladze’s lawyer, the hotel where the incident took place offered to pay the 5,000 GEL bail.