Interior Ministry launches investigation after assault on winner of National Teacher Prize

The Georgian Interior Ministry on Monday launched an investigation into an assault on Vladimer Apkhazava, a civic education teacher and winner of the 2017 National Teacher Prize, in the western Georgian city of Lanchkhuti on Sunday.

Abkhazava told local media he and his son were assaulted near their house in the city by three individuals, and linked the incident with his “civil activism”.

Apkhazava has taught civic education at Chibati Public School in the western Guria region since 2010.

Along with the domestic award, he was also named among the finalists for the 2018 Global Teacher Prize.