Threats Against Genzel Mkoyan, Member of the 'Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia' Party

Unknown individuals have issued threats against Georgian parliament member and member of the ruling 'Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia' party, Genzel Mkoyan, and his family. They reportedly attempted to extort $5 million from him. This information was revealed by Mkoyan's lawyer, Tariel Murmanishvili, during a press conference. Sputnik Armenia reports on this incident.

Murmanishvili stated that Mkoyan and his family are terrified. The parliament member has requested that his case be handled by the Prosecutor General's Office rather than the local police, to whom he had already submitted his complaint. Furthermore, he has reached out to all ambassadors accredited in Georgia, asking for their assistance in ensuring the safety of his family.

'Mkoyan requested this statement to be made in his name,' said Murmanishvili. He noted that on the evening of July 20, 2020, an unknown person called Mkoyan via messenger, speaking in Russian with a Caucasian accent. The caller told Mkoyan to leave politics, stay silent, and not communicate with anyone; otherwise, he would lose his closest loved one.

The second call, which came via WhatsApp, was reportedly from Moscow (according to the phone number). The conversation was again in Russian with a Caucasian accent. This time, a large sum of money was demanded: 'Hey oligarch, you're in business, why are you not giving us the money? You need to give us $5 million.'

When Mkoyan asked what would happen if he did not pay, the extorter claimed he had already spent 15 years in prison and that if his demands were not met, he would kill the parliament member and serve an additional 20 years. During the second call, two men spoke to the parliament member, both using criminal slang.

'My client is afraid. I would like to remind you that a few months ago, he was assaulted, having been shot at three times. He only survived thanks to the police,' stated Murmanishvili. He emphasized that the opposition has exerted psychological pressure on the parliament member for several months. According to his lawyer, Mkoyan and his family are under stress.

It should be noted that on April 2, the opposition demanded that Mkoyan be stripped of his parliamentary mandate, following a violent incident involving the use of weapons that occurred on March 26 around 3:40 PM.