Georgian Man Apologizes for Posting Naked Selfie in Svaneti

SVANETI, Georgia - A Georgian man posted a naked self-portrait on social media last week and was later to be seen apologizing to Georgians for doing so. The photo was shot in one of Georgia’s highland regions, Svaneti.

Soon after the photo went viral on Georgian social media, a video was posted showing the young man apologizing to locals for taking the nude selfie of himself in the remote mountain region and for then sharing it.

The video was posted by Irakli Narsavidze on Friday. The man who took the picture of himself is shown sitting in a car with two other men and apologizing for his ‘inappropriate behavior.’ He apologizes to anyone who found the photo offensive to their traditions.

“I love Svaneti, I’ve been here many times, and I never meant to insult the culture and traditions of locals. I am very sorry if I did so,” he said.

The man who shot the video is a local from Svaneti. In the video he can be heard saying that such pictures are disrespectful to the people living in the mountains and goes on to threaten those who might dare to do the same or similar.

“Our traditions are above any law and constitution. On the land of Svaneti and the whole of Georgia, and throughout the Caucasus, this should not happen again. Such modernity is not acceptable to us,” the man who filmed the video can be heard saying.

The video has been received negatively by social media users, with some claiming the man who took the selfie was clearly forced to apologize and condemning it as a form of violence.

Asked about the case, Georgian police said they would only react if the man featured in the video brings a complaint himself.