Lawyers Lasha Kapanadze and Mariam Durglishvili have withdrawn from representing Giorgi Chigladze, who is charged with attacking a Russian-speaking tourist at the Agarani Estate hotel in Georgia's eastern Kakheti region, saying their client had stopped following the agreed defence strategy.

Kapanadze announced his decision in a Facebook post, saying the defence team's initial objective had been to secure Chigladze's release following his arrest and allow him to return to his family. A court later released him on bail of 5,000 lari (about $1,900).

According to Kapanadze, maintaining that outcome required the defendant to follow the legal strategy developed by his lawyers."When a client fails to follow instructions that are essential to the case and form part of an effective defence strategy, the lawyer is compelled to withdraw because such circumstances create a clear conflict of interest," he wrote.

Durglishvili also announced her withdrawal, saying her decision reflected not only professional considerations but also personal principles."I will always reject any interests that contradict my dignity. Dignity, principles and Georgia are not for sale," she said.

Neither lawyer specified which of Chigladze's actions or decisions prompted their withdrawal.

The lawyers thanked journalists and Georgian citizens who had publicly supported Chigladze, saying public attention had played a significant role in securing his release on bail. They also thanked the management of Agarani Estate, saying the hotel administration had granted them access to the property on Aug. 7 to carry out investigative work related to the case.

Agarani Estate, located in the village of Ruispiri in Kakheti's Telavi municipality, opened in 2025 and includes 56 rooms, a restaurant, conference facilities and event venues.
 

Background

The case attracted widespread attention in both Georgian and Russian social media after an altercation during a wedding reception at Agarani Estate.

Prosecutors accuse Chigladze of entering a hotel room occupied by Russian-speaking tourists and assaulting one of the women. According to previously published reports, the alleged victim suffered a fractured nose and a concussion.

The two sides have given sharply different accounts of the events leading up to the assault.

The tourists denied throwing water at wedding guests, insulting them or damaging hotel property. One of the women said the investigation's findings supported their account.

Chigladze's lawyers argued instead that the assault was preceded by a provocation. On Aug. 4, Kapanadze released hotel surveillance footage showing water being poured from an upper floor onto people attending the wedding. The footage, however, does not address whether Chigladze's subsequent actions were legally justified.

Kapanadze also publicly suggested that the tourists may have deliberately provoked the incident in order to obtain an insurance payout. He presented no evidence to support the claim, while social media users pointed out that standard travel insurance policies primarily cover medical expenses.

By Aug. 3, the Russian woman and the other women travelling with her had left Georgia.

The case has also been accompanied by online disinformation. Georgia's fact-checking project Myth Detector concluded that images circulating online purportedly showing Chigladze with former President Mikheil Saakashvili had been generated using artificial intelligence.

The incident later took on political significance. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said reports of hostility toward Russian tourists were part of an attempt to undermine Georgia's tourism sector and blamed the information campaign on the government's domestic political opponents. Opposition representatives rejected the allegation, accusing the prime minister of exploiting a high-profile criminal case to discredit his critics.

Following the withdrawal of both lawyers, Chigladze will now have to appoint new legal counsel. Kapanadze and Durglishvili said they hoped the proceedings would ultimately end with what they described as a fair and just outcome.