11:56, 23 September 2025

Chikvaidze went on hunger strike in a Georgian prison.

Giorgi Chikvaidze in the courtroom. Photo: https://ru.netgazeti.ge/67776/

Georgian businessman Giorgi Chikvaidze, imprisoned in Georgia, has declared a hunger strike, claiming he is under pressure from prison administration.

As reported by the Caucasian Knot, Giorgi Chikvaidze was arrested on March 11. He called his prosecution for embezzlement politically motivated. He went on hunger strike twice while in prison. On May 7, the Tbilisi City Court found Chikvaidze guilty and sentenced him to nine years in prison, and his business partner, Irakli Papiashvili, to eight years.

Chikvaidze supported the Georgian Dream party for many years and later became an active participant in protests against it. He also stated that he financially supported protests by supporters of European integration and paid for the treatment of injured protesters. According to the businessman, he has evidence of ties between Bidzina Ivanishvili and the Georgian Dream with Russian intelligence services.

Georgi Chikvaidze has declared a hunger strike due to the pressure being exerted on him by the administration of the 8th Gldani Penitentiary Institution, the convict's mother, Eka Tsereteli, reported.

"Political prisoner Giorgi Chikvaidze declared a hunger strike today, September 23, due to the pressure being exerted on him," Interpressnews quotes her as saying.

The case against Chikvaidze and Papiashvili was initiated following a complaint from a company for which they were supposed to deliver a yacht under a sales contract. more than 1.1 million lari. However, according to the investigation, the company never received the yacht. As a result, Papiavshili returned only about 147,000 lari to the company's account; the remaining amount was never paid.

Near the Georgian Parliament building, December 6, 2024. Photo by Aziz Kerimov for

Key points about the persecution of protesters in Georgia

As a reminder, protests have been ongoing in Tbilisi since November 28, 2024. Activists are gathering daily in front of the Georgian Parliament and blocking Rustaveli Avenue. They are demanding the release of arrested supporters of European integration and the holding of new parliamentary elections.

On September 22, the 299th day of continuous protests, protesters again blocked traffic on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi.

Caucasian Knot has compiled materials about the parliamentary elections and the subsequent protests on the page "Elections in Georgia-2024".

Translated automatically via Google translate from https://www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/415664