Since October 26 2024, after the parliamentary elections and pro-European protests in Georgia, journalists have repeatedly faced attacks and unlawful restrictions. There have been numerous cases of media workers being unjustly sanctioned while performing their professional duties — including fines for allegedly blocking roads while reporting on the protests, often without any legitimate basis.
Blocking the road is considered a violation of the rules for organizing and holding assemblies and demonstrations under Article 174¹ of the Administrative Offence Code. Journalists who are being prosecuted on these grounds were simply carrying out their professional duties during the protests. While demonstrators move onto Rustaveli Avenue and block the roadway, journalists are on the scene — doing live broadcasts, conducting interviews, taking photos and videos, and performing other reporting tasks.
Since October 26 2024, there have been 37 recorded cases of journalists being fined for “artificially blocking the road.” Of these, 35 fines were issued in 2025.
- The Ministry of Internal Affairs fined Mariam Nikuradze, founder and photographer of OC Media, four times for “artificially blocking the road” — on March 11, March 15, April 2, and April 3. In total, the journalist has been fined 20,000 GEL. Mariam Nikuradze has appealed all the fines. In one of the cases — related to the March 11 road blockage — the Ministry of Internal Affairs rejected her request to have the fine canceled. The remaining cases are still under review. According to the journalist, in all of the incidents mentioned, she was carrying out her professional duties, wearing a press badge, and had a camera with her.
- Formula TV journalist, Anamaria Gelitashvili, was fined twice — a total of 10,000 GEL — for “artificially blocking the road” on Rustaveli Avenue while carrying out her professional duties. She is being accused of blocking the road during the protests on May 6 and March 27, 2025. Anamaria Gelitashvili says that in both cases she was performing her journalistic duties and that there is video evidence to confirm this.
- Irakli Datunashvili, a copywriter for the outlet JamNews, was fined twice for “artificially blocking the road” during the protests on February 28 and March 6, 2025. He appealed the fines at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, but the proceedings have not yet been concluded.
- On May 23, 2025, judge Zviad Tskekvava fined Mariam Kavshbaia, a journalist from Publika, 5,000 GEL. The administrative offense report against her was filed by police on February 3 of this year. The Ministry of Internal Affairs accused the journalist of “artificially blocking the road” while performing her professional duties on February 3, 2025. Mariam Kavshbaia presented evidence to the court — including photos she took that day and her published reports on Publika’s Facebook page. Additionally, video footage submitted by the Ministry itself showed her working during the protest. Despite this, the court upheld the fine and ordered her to pay 5,000 GEL.
- On April 25, 2025, journalist Irina Makaridze was notified that she had been fined 5,000 GEL for allegedly “artificially blocking the road” on April 6, 2025. According to the journalist, she was on Rustaveli Avenue performing her professional duties, covering the protest for Qronika +.
- On April 12, 2025, Tabula news agency journalist Luka Katsitadze was fined 5,000 GEL for “artificially blocking the road.” The online outlet Tabula reports that on April 12 2025, Luka Katsitadze was on Shota Rustaveli Avenue carrying out his professional duties.
- On April 10, 2025, Formula TV journalist Eliso Jarishvili was informed that she had been fined 5,000 GEL for “artificially blocking the road.” The Ministry of Internal Affairs accuses her of blocking the road on March 12, 2025 when she was performing her professional duties.
- On April 10, photographer Goga Chanadiri was fined 5,000 GEL by Judge Nino Enukidze. He is accused of “artificially blocking the road” on Rustaveli Avenue on February 7, 2025. The photographer responded to the court’s decision on social media, writing that he has attended nearly every rally and protest, covering them in various ways. He considers the fine to be unfair.
- On April 8, 2025, “Mautskebeli” journalist Tozu Gulmamedova was notified of a fine. She is accused of “artificially blocking the road” on February 16 of the same year. According to the Public Broadcaster, Tozu Gulmamedova was performing her professional duties at the protest that day.
- Khatia Ghoghoberdze, editor-in-chief of the media outlet April, was fined 5,000 GEL by the Ministry of Internal Affairs for allegedly “artificially blocking the road” while carrying out her professional duties. The Ministry accuses the journalist of blocking the road on March 29, 2025. “In the official notice delivered to Ghoghoberdze, there is no mention of her performing professional duties — she is identified as a protest participant. The journalist plans to appeal the fine in court,” April reports.
- Voice of America’s correspondent in Georgia, Nino Dalakishvili, was fined 5,000 GEL for allegedly blocking the road. She is accused of “artificially blocking the road” at a time when she was performing her professional duties — broadcasting live from the area near the Parliament. She received the police notification on March 25, 2025.
- Netgazeti journalist, Nino Baidauri, was fined 5,000 GEL by the Ministry of Internal Affairs for allegedly “artificially blocking Rustaveli Avenue” on on March 21, 2025.
- Radio Tbilisi journalist Merab Merkviladze received a notice of a 5,000 GEL fine for “artificially blocking the road” on Rustaveli avenue on March 19, 2025 .
- TV Pirveli photojournalist Giorgi Mosiashvili was fined 5,000 GEL by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Police accuse Mosiashvili of “illegally blocking the road” on Rustaveli Avenue at 9:03 PM on March 11. In a social media post, Mosiashvili stated that at the time of the fine, he was on Rustaveli Avenue performing his professional duties. This is Mosiashvili’s second fine. The first was issued on February 21, 2025, also for allegedly “artificially blocking the road.” In total, he has received two fines amounting to 10,000 GEL.
- Formula TV journalist Nano Chakvetadze was fined 5,000 GEL. She is accused of “artificially blocking the road” on March 13, 2025. According to Formula, Nano Chakvetadze was on Rustaveli Avenue that day performing her professional duties.
- Formula TV journalist and talk show host Irakli Tabliashvili was fined for allegedly “artificially blocking the road” during a protest on 24 February, 2025. As he explains in his video blog, he was handed the fine while returning to Tbilisi from a country house with his wife and young child.
- The Ministry of Internal Affairs fined Beka Beridze, a representative of the online media outlet project-64, 5,000 GEL. He is accused of “artificially blocking the road” on February 11, 2025. Beridze appealed the fine imposed by the Ministry, but the appeal was rejected. The decision is now being challenged in court.
- The Ministry of Internal Affairs fined Radio Liberty journalist Gela Bochikashvili 5,000 GEL for allegedly “artificially blocking the road” on February 21, 2025. The journalist was performing his professional duties near the Parliament building, covering a protest. He was wearing a press vest and had proper press credentials. The fine was later revoked.
- A journalist with Publika.ge Basti Mgaloblishvili was fined for allegedly “blocking the road” during the protest action on February 14, 2025. Footage published by the journalist shows that he was performing his professional duties, filming the events as they unfolded, and wearing a press badge. On June 6, the Ministry of Internal Affairs rejected the journalist’s appeal. He had submitted evidence confirming that he was carrying out his professional duties and covering the pro-European protest.
- The Ministry of Internal Affairs fined Studio Monitori journalist Nino Tsverava 5,000 GEL for allegedly “blocking the road” on February 17, 2025, The journalist submitted evidence to the Ministry showing that she was performing her professional duties at the protest. The fine was later revoked.
- The Ministry of Internal Affairs fined a journalist with Studio Monitori, Nino Shubitidze, 5,000 GEL for allegedly “illegally blocking the road” on February 17, 2025. After evidence was submitted to the Ministry, her fine was also revoked.
- Radio Liberty journalist Giorgi Diasamidze was also accused of “artificially blocking the road” while covering the protest rally on February 17, 2025. He was informed of this by the Ministry of Internal Affairs on February 21. The Ministry stated that he had been fined 5,000 GEL for allegedly “blocking the road” near the Parliament building. The fine was later revoked.
- Online Tabula.ge journalist Beka Jikurashvili was accused of “artificially blocking the road” while performing his professional duties on February 14, 2025. According to Tabula.ge, Jikurashvili was wearing a press badge and was carrying out his work responsibilities.
- The Ministry of Internal Affairs fined Mtavari Arkhi TV journalist and host Natia Gogsadze. She is accused of “artificially blocking the road” during a pro-European protest on February 2, 2025. According to the information released by Mtavari Arkhi, Natia Gogsadze was informed about the fine over the phone. During the call, the exact amount of the fine was not specified.
- The law enforcement authorities contacted Tabula journalist Nikoloz Chirakadze to informed him that he had “violated traffic regulations” on the capital city’s central avenue on January 17, and would therefore have to undergo legal procedures. According to Tabula, the journalist was on Rustaveli Avenue performing his professional duties at the time.
- April media photojournalist Vakho Kareli is being accused by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of “artificially blocking the road.” According to a Ministry representative, “it is an established fact” that Vakho Karel was present at Rustaveli Avenue on January 26. When the photojournalist responded that it was likely he was there because he is a journalist, the Ministry representative replied: “That’s something you need to prove — you must present the appropriate documentation, based on which the court will make a decision.”
- Radio Liberty journalist Eka Kevanishvili is being accused by police of “blocking the road” on Rustaveli Avenue on January 22. On that day, Kevanishvili was filming a video with a cameraman. “She has already submitted documentation to the police confirming that she is indeed a Radio Liberty journalist and was carrying out an assignment from the editorial team that day. However, she has not yet received any notification on whether the legal proceedings against her have been terminated,” the Radio Liberty article states. The fine was later revoked.
- Mtavari Arkhi journalist Aleksandre Sajaia was also accused of “artificially blocking the road” while performing his professional duties on January 4, 2025,
- Davit Kekenadze, a journalist for the international media corporation Euronews, was fined 5,000 GEL by Tbilisi City Court. Police accused him of “artificially blocking the road” during a pro-European protest held on January 3, 2025.
- Germane Salia, director of Poti-based Ninth Wave TV and co-chair of the Regional Broadcasters’ Alliance, was fined 1,000 GEL for driving during a protest march in Zugdidi. According to Salia, he was attending the march as a journalist to prepare coverage. Three days later, while driving from Poti to Zugdidi, he was stopped by patrol police and informed that his car had been listed as wanted in connection with the protest on December 13, 2024. Although he explained to police that he was performing his professional duties, the fine was still imposed.
- Radio Liberty journalist Salome Chaduneli was accused by police of “blocking the road” during a protest organized by the group Daitove on November 10, 2024.
Georgian Dream increased the amount of fines in the context of the pro-European protests that began after November 28. According to amendments made to Georgia’s Code of Administrative Offence, the fine for illegally blocking a roadway has been increased tenfold — from 500 GEL to 5,000 GEL.
