Context
The incidents documented in April 2025 show that the practice of pressure against civil activists continues to retain a systemic character and manifests in various forms. The incidents recorded during the reporting period relate to administrative detentions, physical violence, investigative actions, restrictions on the freedoms of assembly and expression, as well as alleged discriminatory decisions connected to professional activity.
A significant part of the cases remains linked to protest activity and the public expression of a pro-European position. At the same time, in a number of cases, there are indications of disproportionate interference by law enforcement bodies, including in the context of detentions, the use of force and the dispersal of protest assemblies.
During the reporting period, particular attention should be paid to investigative actions carried out in the homes of activists and representatives of foundations and human rights organizations, as well as cases of dismissal of persons employed in the public sector, which, according to the victims themselves, were linked to their civic activism.
Incidents:
On 1 April 2025, Luka Kintsurashvili, an active participant in pro-European protests, was detained by police under administrative procedure late at night. According to Tamta Mikeladze, Director of the Social Justice Center, the activist was stopped at 20:00 on Vazha-Pshavela Avenue and was asked to show the contents of Telegram on his phone. Kintsurashvili refused to do so. After that, police took Kintsurashvili’s phone and detained him.
On 8 April 2025, late at night, during a protest on Rustaveli Avenue, police detained three activists — Vato Samkharadze, Rezi Dumbadze and Tazo Kveselava — under administrative procedure. The Ministry of Internal Affairs charged them under Articles 166 and 173 of the Code of Administrative Offences, concerning petty hooliganism and failure to comply with a lawful order of a police officer. According to lawyer Giorgi Tabatadze, detained activist Vato Samkharadze had a split lip and redness on his face. According to the lawyer, the activist sustained the physical injuries during his detention by police. As for the second detainee, Rezi Dumbadze, a police officer allegedly threatened and verbally insulted him.
On 9 April 2025, according to local activists, police did not allow citizens gathered near the 9 April Memorial in Zugdidi to express their protest and dispersed the assembly by force. Droa activist Mariam Sichinava wrote that one citizen was injured during the dispersal and had to be transferred to hospital. It appears that after the activists were removed from the area, representatives of the local authorities arrived at the 9 April Memorial.
On 12 April 2025, according to Batumi-based activist Tsiala Katamidze, the Ministry of Defence dismissed her from the position of reservist of the National Guard, a position she had held since 2022. According to the former reservist of the Defence Battalion of the National Guard of the Defence Forces, the reason for her dismissal was political and was linked to ongoing developments in the country.
On 14 April 2025, activist Lekso Samkharadze wrote on social media that unknown individuals attacked and physically assaulted him and his friend in Freedom Square. According to the activist, the attackers struck him with a sharp object in the area of the back and crown of his head, as a result of which he sustained multiple head injuries. As for Levan Kanchaveli, Samkharadze wrote that unknown individuals fractured his skull, requiring Kanchaveli to undergo surgery. In an interview with TV Pirveli, Levan Kanchaveli stated that the group attack was allegedly linked to his participation in pro-European protests.
On 14 April 2025, Transparency International Georgia issued a statement saying that Georgian Dream had dismissed up to 700 employees from dozens of public institutions with the aim of suppressing the protest wave in the country.
TI wrote that, under the pretext of reorganization, expiry of employment contracts or other formal grounds, employees were dismissed after signing protest statements concerning the suspension of European integration or after openly expressing critical views regarding the government’s policies.
Transparency International Georgia considers that, through four amendments made to the Law on Public Service since December 2024, Georgian Dream has significantly weakened the legal protection of civil servants and, in effect, dismantled the public service reform. The organization notes that the public service reform had been implemented for years with the support of international organizations and was one of the essential preconditions for the country’s integration into European structures.
On 16 April 2025, Gela Khasaia, a member of Girchi — More Freedom and a political activist, was sentenced by a judge of Tbilisi City Court to 12 days of administrative detention. Khasaia was accused of resisting police officers on 31 March; however, according to TV Pirveli, uninterrupted footage disseminated publicly shows that the activist followed the police voluntarily, without resistance.
On 21 April 2025, on Rustaveli Avenue, where participants in the pro-European protest were marking Easter together, police detained two persons. According to publicly available information, the detainees were Giorgi Ortoidze and Giorgi Samkharadze. One of the protest participants also published a video of the incident on Facebook. According to that participant, law enforcement officers detained the activists only because they were congratulating people on Easter.
On 29 April 2025, Tbilisi Court of Appeal refused to grant refugee status to Batumi flag-bearer Temur Katamadze. Temur Katamadze had requested that he be granted refugee status, as well as humanitarian or subsidiary protection status.
On 29 April 2025, employees of the Prosecutor’s Office conducted searches in the residential apartments of Nanuka Zhorzholiani, founder of the Nanuka Fund; her daughter, activist Mariam Geguchadze; activist Mariam Bajelidze; Aleko Tskitishvili, Head of the Human Rights Center; and Guga Kheladze, founder of the fund “For Each Other 24/7”. According to information disseminated by the Prosecutor’s Office, the searches were conducted within the framework of an investigation launched under Article 318 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, concerning sabotage. According to information disseminated by GYLA, lawyers were not given a full opportunity to attend the search procedures, and the court orders were general in nature: they did not specify the list of items, objects or materials to be discovered or seized during the searches.
The investigation in this case is being conducted on the basis of a complaint filed by Vato Shakarishvili’s organization, United Neutral Georgia.
The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association responded by statement to the search-and-seizure operations carried out on 29 April in the homes of representatives of foundations. According to the organization, the morning search-and-seizure operations constituted another manifestation of Georgian Dream’s terror and, even under the presumption of an objectively conducted investigation, could not be assessed as an appropriate investigative measure.
