The incidents documented in January 2025 indicate the use of diverse and intensive forms of pressure against civil activists. These incidents include administrative and criminal prosecution, physical violence, restrictions on freedom of expression, financial sanctions, and alleged politically motivated discrimination in professional activities.
During the reporting period, particularly notable were the mass detentions related to protest demonstrations in Tbilisi and Batumi, as well as judicial decisions concerning activists and the so-called “prisoners of conscience.” At the same time, multiple cases were documented in which individuals linked their dismissal from public employment to their civic position and participation in protests, creating a chilling effect on the exercise of freedom of expression. Cases of physical violence and ill-treatment against activists were also documented, both within Georgia and abroad. Overall, the events of January reflect an environment in which legal, administrative and coercive mechanisms are employed in parallel against civil society.
Incidents
5 January 2025
Several public employees were dismissed from their positions. The Chairperson of the Central Election Commission (CEC), Giorgi Kalandarishvili, dismissed CEC employee Vako Maisuradze on the grounds of institutional reorganization. Maisuradze links his dismissal to his public condemnation of violence committed by the ruling Georgian Dream party.
Pavle Gakharia, an employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Public Safety Management Centre 112, also stated that he was dismissed because of his participation in protest demonstrations. According to Gakharia, his employment contract was terminated without any justification.
8 January 2025
Gela Megrelidze, a German citizen who participated in protests against the so-called “Russian Law”, was denied the right of residence in Georgia and was found administratively liable for an offence committed during a protest.
Megrelidze, who returned to Georgia after 20 years abroad, applied for a residence permit. His application was rejected on the grounds that he allegedly posed a threat to the country. An official document issued to photographer Gela Megrelidze stated that his presence in Georgia was “incompatible with the interests of the State.”
10 January 2025
Judge Ketevan Jachvadze examined the cases of 11 prisoners of conscience—Andro Chichinadze, Jano Archaia, Guram Mirtskhulava, Onise Tskhadadze, Ruslan Sivakov, Luka Jabuia, Sergei Kukharchuk, Giorgi Terishvili, Irakli Kherashvili, Revaz Kiknadze and Valeri Tetriashvili—and ordered that they remain in pre-trial detention. The Prosecutor’s Office charged the eleven participants in the pro-European protest demonstrations with participation in group violence.
11 January 2025
Judge Irakli Khuskivadze examined the cases of eight prisoners of conscience—Vephkhia Kasradze, Zviad Tsetskhladze, Vasil Kadelashvili, Giorgi Giorgadze, Irakli Miminoshvili, Insaf Aliyev, Tornike Goshadze and Nikoloz Javakhishvili—and ordered that they remain in pre-trial detention.
The Prosecutor’s Office charged three defendants—Zviad Tsetskhladze, Vephkhia Kasradze and Vasil Kadelashvili—with organising and leading group violence, an offence punishable by six to nine years’ imprisonment. The remaining five defendants—Irakli Miminoshvili, Insaf Aliyev, Tornike Goshadze, Nikoloz Javakhishvili and Giorgi Giorgadze—were charged with participation in group violence, which carries a sentence of four to six years’ imprisonment.
11 January 2025
During a pro-European protest near Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi, protest participant and disability rights advocate Gia Jvarsheishvili was detained.
According to a briefing by Eka Gigauri, Executive Director of Transparency International Georgia, and Nino Lomjaria, head of the organisation Georgia’s European Orbit, multiple rights were allegedly violated during Jvarsheishvili’s detention. He was reportedly subjected to both verbal and physical abuse.
12 January 2025
A large-scale protest entitled “Unfair Court” was held outside the Babilo restaurant on Beliashvili Street in Tbilisi. The demonstration was prompted by information circulated on social media and protest groups indicating that representatives of the judiciary, including leading judges associated with the so-called “judicial clan”, were holding a New Year’s corporate gathering at the restaurant.
The protest was fuelled by public outrage over the fact that, amid the country’s ongoing political crisis, mass demonstrations and the detention of protesters, judges were attending a festive dinner. The demonstration began in the afternoon, after which a large number of police officers and special forces units, including water cannon vehicles, were deployed to the scene. Law enforcement officers completely cordoned off the perimeter of the restaurant to prevent protesters from approaching those inside.
Police officers on the scene prevented members of the media from filming individuals leaving the restaurant. While the judges’ gathering was taking place, the protest continued throughout the day.
Police administratively detained nine individuals. They were charged under Articles 166 and 173 of the Code of Administrative Offences, namely petty hooliganism and failure to comply with a lawful order of a police officer. Notably, all detainees alleged that disproportionate force had been used against them during their detention.
The hearings concerning the detainees took place at Tbilisi City Court on 14 January. Eight activists were sentenced to terms of administrative detention by different judges.
Specifically:
- Judge Lela Mildenberger sentenced Tite Gedenidze and Zviad Robakidze to 10 days of administrative detention, while Shako Maghradze was sentenced to 12 days of administrative detention.
- Judge Zviad Tsekvava sentenced Daniel Bulkashvili to 14 days of administrative detention.
- Judge Manuchar Tsatsua sentenced Zurab Manchkhashvili to 13 days of administrative detention, while Giorgi Chachanidze received 10 days of administrative detention.
- Judge Koba Chagunava sentenced Beka Papashvili to 15 days of administrative detention.
- Judge Nino Enukidze sentenced Kakha Japaridze to 10 days of administrative detention.
11–12 January 2025
During protest demonstrations held outside the Constitutional Court of Georgia and the Adjara Police Department in Batumi, police detained 13 activists.
On 11 January, detentions began outside Batumi City Court, where activist Tatia Abuladze was detained after attaching a protest poster. Later the same day, activist Tsiala Katamidze was detained outside the Adjara Police Department after displaying a poster of similar content.
Police subsequently detained Mate Tsenteradze, Goderdzi Prangishvili, Temur Katamadze, Lali Dgebuadze, Teo Beridze, Malkhaz Iremadze, and Nini Shavadze, who is a minor.
According to the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA), some of the detainees were charged with failure to comply with a lawful order of a police officer.
On 12 January, police detained several additional activists during the protest outside the Constitutional Court in Batumi, including Elizbar Chkhikvadze, Luka Natsvlishvili, Shushana Matsaberidze, and Levan Khorava.
According to GYLA, the detainees were transferred to Poti following their detention.
13 January 2025
Members of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Viktor Sanikidze and Irakli Zarkua, physically assaulted civil activist Lasha Gabitashvili in Dubai.
The incident followed Gabitashvili shouting “slave” and “traitor” at Georgian Dream Members of Parliament the previous day.
13 January 2025
Tbilisi City Hall employee Kristina Chubinidze was dismissed from her position.
The former public employee stated that she was dismissed because of her commitment to the Constitution and Georgia’s European values. According to her, although her employment relationship had been terminated on 31 December, she was informed of the dismissal only on 13 January.
Chubinidze was among the signatories of a public statement expressing support for Georgia’s European course
18 January 2025
During a protest held outside the Gldani-Nadzaladevi Police Department No. VII in Tbilisi, law enforcement officers detained several activists by use of force. Those detained included film director Guram Matskhonashvili, Sona Kalandadze, Mariam Paichadze, manager of the Haraki movement, Tamar Chumashvili, Roman Akopov, and Mariam Gilashvili. They were charged with wearing face coverings during a protest and with failure to comply with a lawful order of a police officer.
Several of the activists administratively detained outside the Temka police station alleged that they had been subjected to physical and verbal abuse by police officers. According to their lawyer, police officers pulled Sona Kalandadze’s hair and verbally abused her while taking her into the police station. The lawyer further stated that Mariam Paichadze was also dragged by her hair during her detention. According to the same source, one alleged law enforcement officer dressed in civilian clothing mocked the detainees and humiliated them because of their participation in the protest.
According to Tamta Mikeladze, Executive Director of the Social Justice Center, Guram Matskhonashvili was struck on the back of the head while at the police station.
20 January 2025
Judge Nino Gudadze delivered the judgment in the case of prisoners of conscience Omar Okribelashvili and Saba Meparishvili.
The court sentenced both defendants to three years’ imprisonment, which was reduced to two and a half years under the amnesty law. Of this sentence, one year was suspended, while the remaining one year and six months is to be served in a penitentiary institution.
As Okribelashvili and Meparishvili have already spent eight months in detention, they are expected to remain in prison for approximately another ten months.
During the hearing held on 20 January, both defendants pleaded guilty to the charges against them. The Prosecutor’s Office accused them of acting jointly to damage a police barricade, causing damage assessed at GEL 400. According to prosecutor Nugzar Chitadze, the defendants had also compensated for the damage.
Omar Okribelashvili and Saba Meparishvili were originally detained by police during protests against the so-called “Foreign Agents Law.”
20 January 2025
Fridon Bubuteishvili, aged 20, who had been detained during protests against the so-called “Russian Law,” was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment. The judgment was delivered by Judge Zviad Sharadze. The Prosecutor’s Office accused Bubuteishvili of damaging the gate of the Parliament building, causing damage estimated at GEL 500. He was also charged with throwing stones at a firefighter-rescuer.
26 January 2025
Civil activist Vakho Pitskhelauri was abducted and physically assaulted in the Tsmindatskali settlement of Gori. According to the activist, he was attacked by at least three masked individuals while walking to a local shop. Pitskhelauri links the attack to his civic activities.
29 January 2025
Citizens held another protest outside the Government House of Adjara in Batumi against the policies of the ruling Georgian Dream party and brought tents to the site of the demonstration. During the protest, police restricted the participants’ freedom of expression by preventing the use of protest tents and confiscating the tents brought by demonstrators.
20 January 2025
Film director Guram Matskhonashvili was fined GEL 2,000 by the court.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs charged him under Articles 173 and 174 of the Code of Administrative Offences, relating to failure to comply with a lawful order of a police officer and wearing a face covering during a protest.
Matskhonashvili had previously been detained by law enforcement officers during the protest outside the Glldani-Nadzaladevi Police Department No. VII together with several other activists.
27 January 2025
The Zugdidi District Court imposed a GEL 2,000 fine on Mariam Sichinava, a political activist of the Droa party, for wearing a face covering during a protest, under Article 174 of the Code of Administrative Offences.
30 January 2025
Nino Khazalashvili, an employee of the Samtskhe-Javakheti Destination Management Organisation, stated that she was dismissed from her position after reacting (“haha” reaction) to a social media post.
According to Khazalashvili, for several weeks she had expressed reactions to social media posts related to civic activism, and believes that these reactions were the reason for her dismissal.
