Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs is investigating a 35-year-old case involving alleged crimes against a minor. 43-year-old Nata Vibliani began sharing her experience on social media, drawing widespread public and law enforcement attention to her story.
A few months ago, living abroad in emigration, Nata Vibliani began posting videos on her Facebook page. The woman claimed that at the age of nine, she became a victim of sexual abuse by a person close to her family. According to Vibliani, everyone in her native village in Svaneti knew what was happening.
The alleged perpetrator was her godfather’s brother, who was 25 at the time. The abuse continued for many years. Vibliani said she was kept in constant fear, threatened with weapons, and told that she or her brothers would be killed if she spoke out. At 14, she became pregnant and gave birth to her firstborn in Zugdidi—a child she claims was taken away from her. After the birth, the abuse continued, involving three additional men.
According to Nata Vibliani, no one protected her or intervened out of fear. Moreover, the village turned on her family. Local residents effectively drove Nata, her mother, and her brothers out of Svaneti. After selling their house and land for a pittance, they moved to Zugdidi.
Soon after, Nata moved to Kutaisi and later emigrated from Georgia altogether. Today, her life is stable: she has a job, an adult son, and a grandchild. However, the past, she admits, refuses to let go. She describes her goal as seeing justice served, rather than seeking revenge.
Vibliani is convinced that the underlying motive behind what happened was a desire to seize her family’s land. Furthermore, she does not rule out that her father may have been killed or driven to suicide for the same reason.
Nata Vibliani’s case is currently being investigated by Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs. According to media reports, law enforcement officers have inspected the properties where the alleged crimes took place and questioned around 30 people. Nata named her alleged perpetrators, who deny all allegations. Her godfather’s brother is now 59, married, with children and possibly grandchildren.
Will it be possible to establish the truth after so much time, and if Nata’s account is proven, will her abusers be brought to justice? These questions are currently shaking Georgian society. There are several leads: the maternity hospital in Zugdidi where Nata allegedly gave birth at 14, as well as a report regarding the abuse filed with the police by her grandfather. The complaint was withdrawn a week later following threats.
Crucially, since 2020, Georgian law no longer applies a statute of limitations to serious crimes committed against minors. The country’s judicial practice already includes precedents where perpetrators were sentenced for crimes committed 20 or 25 years ago. Human rights advocates are demanding a full investigation and protection for Nata, who admits she is still receiving threats.
