In November, at the Zugdidi District Court, a “TV Pirveli” journalist had their mobile phone confiscated. According to the television company, the journalist was only allowed to attend the court hearing after the court’s security service sealed their phone. “As an alternative, they were only offered paper and a pen,” stated TV Pirveli.

On June 30, 2025, amendments to the Law on Common Courts came into effect, significantly restricting media rights. Specifically:

• Photography, video recording, and audio recording were prohibited inside court buildings, courtrooms, and courtyards;
• The previous provision that prohibited confiscating personal items, including phones, computers, or other devices capable of recording audio or video, was repealed.

Following these changes, the media’s ability to freely cover important proceedings has been severely limited, including cases such as the trial of Mzia Amaghlobeli, founder of Netgazeti, and other conscientious objectors.

It is noteworthy that recently, several individuals have reported instances of violence, as well as physical and verbal abuse by court ushers at the Tbilisi City Court. The legislative amendments adopted on June 30 now further restrict the media’s ability to report on such unlawful actions within the justice system.