In 2025, the Center for Media, Information and Social Research (CMIS) documented 357 violations targeting journalists, media outlets, and civil society organizations working on media rights. In several instances, a single incident involved multiple forms of abuse (for example, detention accompanied by physical violence). A total of 323 media representatives and media organisations were affected by these violations.
Fines against journalists and media outlets were the most commonly used tool of pressure. Of the 48 fines issued, 35 were imposed on journalists, most of whom were covering protests; a small number of these fines were later repealed. Discrediting independent media and journalists, physical violence, use of laws to persecute media and verbal insults are the next most prevalent types of violations.
Detentions and arrests of journalists reached unprecedented levels. In 2025, 20 cases of detention, arrest and imprisonment were recorded. At the time of detention most journalists were at the protest rallies; some of them were working on the site, covering the protest.
On August 6, Mzia Amaglobeli, founder of the online publications Batumelebi.ge and Netgazeti.ge, was sentenced to two years of imprisonment. Both local and international organisations have described this conviction as politically motivated and are calling for Mzia Amaglobeli’s immediate release.
The primary perpetrator of these violations is law enforcement, followed by administrative bodies and courts.
Since January 1, 2025, 79 out of 357 different types of incidents documented, affected 72 media representatives during or in connection to protest rallies (for example, arbitrary fines imposed on journalists for “artificially blocking the road”). According to the publicly available information, 9 cases were documented over the year where foreign journalists were unjustifiably refused entry into Georgia
