Giorgi Gakharia, former prime minister and leader of the opposition party For Georgia, is in hospital with facial and head injuries, after a brutal assault by several men in a hotel lobby. His health was later confirmed to be stable. His party, calling this a politically motivated attack, accused the government of attempting to intimidate opposition voices. Georgia’s ongoing political crisis intensified after the disputed October parliamentary elections. Protests against the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party have erupted in Tbilisi and other cities, particularly after the government’s announcement to delay EU accession talks. The protests have led to widespread crackdowns, including arrests and beatings, drawing criticism from human rights groups. The attack on Gakharia follows similar assaults on opposition members and journalists.