On 2 March, Judge Nino Enukidze of the Tbilisi City Court found civil activist Sandro Mirtkhulava liable for an administrative offense related to a protest held on a sidewalk. The court, however, exempted him from administrative liability and issued a verbal warning. The Ministry of Internal Affairs had accused Mirtkhulava of obstructing pedestrian movement.

At a hearing held on 19 February, Judge Enukidze had postponed consideration of the case, citing a constitutional complaint filed with the Constitutional Court. On 5 February, a constitutional claim titled “Sandro Mirtkhulava v. the Parliament of Georgia and the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia” was registered with the Constitutional Court, challenging recent amendments to the Law on Assemblies and Demonstrations on the grounds that they violate constitutionally protected rights. The court subsequently decided to resume the proceedings and deliver its decision.

Administrative proceedings against citizens in relation to sidewalk protests commenced following legislative amendments adopted by Georgian Dream on 12 December 2025.  The amendments were adopted following accelerated parliamentary consideration over a three-day period. As a result of these amendments, protest activity on sidewalks was, in effect, also prohibited. For a first violation, the legislation provides for administrative detention for a period of up to 15 days (up to 20 days in the case of an organizer), while a repeated violation may result in the imposition of criminal liability. According to the assessment of Transparency International Georgia, “the detention of an individual for standing on a sidewalk, even under administrative procedure, let alone the imposition of criminal punishment cannot withstand any criticism when assessed against the standards of freedom of assembly guaranteed by the Constitution of Georgia and by international human rights instruments.”