Imam of Georgia's Akhaltsikhe mosque and family members brutally beaten

Georgia‘s Interior Ministry has launched an investigation into an attack on the family of a Meskhetian Muslim in the city of Akhaltsikhe. According to the victims, more than 10 people assaulted the imam of the local mosque, Shevket Dvalidze, and members of his family during the incident on 18 July.

The attack was first reported by the news outlet Batumelebi. According to the publication, the assault began after the imam’s son and an underage relative visiting from Turkey were heard speaking Turkish to each other.

Meskhetian Muslims, also known as Meskhetian Turks or Ahiska Turks, are a Turkic ethnic group originating from the historical region of Meskheti in southwestern Georgia.

According to the imam’s family, the group initially confronted them verbally, hurling insults over their use of the Turkish language, before the argument escalated into a physical assault.

The victims said the attackers followed them to their home and brutally beat them in the courtyard. Shevket Dvalidze, the imam of the Akhaltsikhe mosque, sustained the most serious injuries and was later taken to hospital.

Batumelebi reported that Dvalidze was also urged to withdraw his police complaint.

Georgia’s Interior Ministry said it had opened an investigation under Article 126 of the Criminal Code, which covers physical violence.

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The Georgian-based Social Justice Center responded to the incident by calling on the authorities to conduct a prompt and effective investigation and to properly assess whether the attack was motivated by discrimination.

According to the organisation, the victims said that between 10 and 12 people took part in the assault, and that most of them had been identified. However, only two suspects were arrested and were later released on bail by a court.

The Social Justice Center said the circumstances suggested the case could constitute not only an act of violence but also a hate crime, as the attack may have been motivated by linguistic and religious intolerance.

The organisation said investigators should examine whether the assault was motivated by the victims’ ethnic, religious or linguistic identity and ensure those circumstances are properly reflected in the legal classification of the case.

According to the Social Justice Center, correctly classifying the attack as a hate crime is important not only because of its legal consequences, but also because it acknowledges the true nature of the offence and helps prevent similar incidents.

The organisation called on the Interior Ministry and the Prosecutor’s Office to identify all those involved in the attack, rather than limiting the investigation to the two detained suspects. It also urged investigators to examine allegations that pressure had been put on the imam to withdraw his police complaint.

The Social Justice Center also called on the government and the Office of the State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality to publicly condemn the violence against the Meskhetian Muslim family, which it said appeared to have been motivated by linguistic and religious intolerance.

The organisation further urged the authorities to strengthen policies promoting equality, rebuilding trust and supporting cultural diversity in Akhaltsikhe’s Meskhetian Muslim communities, while reviewing barriers related to the repatriation and citizenship of Meskhetian Muslims.

Imam beaten in Georgia after speaking Turkish