Zviad Ratiani, Georgian poet, translator and civil activist was arrested on June 23 during pro-European, anti-Russian protest in front of the Georgian Parliament.
Zviad Ratiani had already been arrested and severely beaten by the police last November; the court sentenced him to 8 days of administrative detention on December 2, 2024.
After his release, he was attacked and beaten again at the entrance of his home by unidentified individuals. He had previously lived in exile in Austria following a violent incident with the police in 2017, which also led to his arrest.
Persecution and brutal physical violence against Zviad Ratiani have truly become a persistent pattern. The Georgian literary community is deeply alarmed, especially in light of the new laws passed by Parliament yesterday, which may allow court hearings to be closed to the public, journalists, friends, and family members of the detained.
PEN Georgia calls on immediate release of Zviad Ratiani and asks our international partners, PEN International and other PEN centers to react and spread the information.
Zviad Ratiani was arrested under Article 353¹ of the Criminal Code, which pertains to assaulting a police officer and carries a sentence of 4 to 7 years in prison.
