A Russian citizen injured in a hotel conflict in Telavi, Georgia, has left Georgia. Investigators have not restricted her right to leave the country, lawyer Lali Aptsiauri told TASS.
According to her defense, the woman remained in the country for some time while the investigation was ongoing. In the coming days, the lawyer intends to review the criminal case file and then provide a more detailed comment.
The incident occurred at the Agareni Estate Hotel, where a local wedding was taking place outside that evening. The parties have given differing accounts of the circumstances of the conflict.
According to a version being investigated by Georgian law enforcement, the Russian tourists were opening champagne on the balcony, and some of the champagne splashed onto the wedding guests. However, videos released after the incident have sparked controversy: they do not show the champagne opening, but do show one of the women waving toward the wedding procession.
Later, 30-year-old Georgy Chigladze, claiming to be the groom's brother, came to the tourists' room. According to the Russian women, he demanded to speak English instead of Russian, after which he struck one of the women. The man was detained the following day but was soon released on bail.
The case quickly escalated beyond a simple domestic dispute. Protests in support of Chigladze were held across Georgia, and law enforcement agencies announced they would also investigate the Russian women for possible criminal offenses. The investigation is ongoing.
