On June 11, 2025, Tbilisi City Court Judge Mikheil Jinjolia unexpectedly announced the closure of the court session during the trial of Giorgi Akhobadze, who was arrested at a protest. Journalists were once again forced to leave the courtroom without any explanation, including those who had been granted permission to film the proceedings.

Natia Amiranashvili, a journalist from the online outlet Publika, wrote on social media that no order had been disrupted during the hearing: “I have a strong suspicion that the court’s main concern is to silence and neutralize the media — and these steps are being taken to prepare the ground for that.”

In recent months, Georgia’s court system has increasingly restricted the media’s ability to cover legal proceedings. Between May 22 and June 11, 2025, there were four recorded incidents at Tbilisi City Court (on May 22, 23, 29, and 30) in which reporters equipped with photo and video cameras were denied access. On June 10, a court session was completely closed to the media — including to journalists who had previously received permission to record. All these incidents occurred during hearings of high public interest, widely considered to be political cases.

The Media Advocacy Coalition has warned that these actions set a dangerous precedent and reflect a deliberate strategy by the ruling Georgian Dream party to restrict media access.

“Barring media from court proceedings not only violates the rights of journalists but also infringes on the public’s right to be informed. Through such actions, Georgian Dream is attempting to withhold information on critical court decisions from the public and limit citizens’ ability to demand accountability,” the coalition’s statement reads.