14-01-2026
Tbilisi
Criminal Prosecution Initiated Against Civic Activist Ana Bdeiani for Standing on a Sidewalk

Tbilisi City Court Judge Tornike Kapanadze terminated the administrative proceedings instituted against civic activist Ana Bdeiani and referred the case materials to the Ministry of Internal Affairs for further action. According to lawyer Marika Arevadze, the judge noted in the reasoned decision that the case may contain elements of a criminal offense.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs alleges that Ana Bdeiani, a mother of three, artificially obstructed a sidewalk. The administrative offense report was issued pursuant to Article 174¹, Part 10 of the Administrative Offences Code of Georgia. Ana Bdeiani had previously been subjected to administrative liability on 4 November 2025 on the grounds of the alleged artificial obstruction of a roadway.

Since Georgian Dream adopted another repressive legislative amendment restricting freedom of assembly on 12 December 2025, the Ministry of Internal Affairs has been initiating proceedings against civic activists for obstructing citizens’ movement in connection with protests expressed on sidewalks, which the amended legislation in fact banned. Under the amended legal framework, a first violation is punishable by administrative detention for a term of up to 15 days (up to 20 days for organizers), while a repeated violation may give rise to criminal liability.

On the same grounds, the court has, to date, referred for further action to the Ministry of Internal Affairs the cases of two civic activists –  Vazha Gaprindashvili and Giorgi Tsulaia.

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14-01-2026
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Criminal Prosecution or Initiation of Investigation
Court | Ministry of Interior
Persecution Due to Civil Activism
Tbilisi