Ruska Mchedlidze, a member of the political party “Akhali” and civic activist reported on social media that administrative proceedings have been initiated against her in connection with a comment posted on Facebook. As established, the complainant is Nino Jgharkava, a propagandist closely associated with the “Georgian Dream” party, who filed a complaint regarding a post written about her. In the post, Ruska Mchedlidze referred to Nino Jgharkava as a person allegedly engaged in an informal romantic relationship with the father of former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili.
Administrative proceedings against Ruska Mchedlidze have been initiated under Article 166 of the Code of Administrative Offences (petty hooliganism — use of obscene language in a public space, insulting or offensive conduct toward citizens, or other similar actions that violate public order and/or disturb public peace). The cited provision provides for a sanction in the form of a fine ranging from 500 to 3,000 GEL or administrative detention for a period of up to 20 days. A court hearing in the case is scheduled for 28 January.
This is not the first instance in which a civil activist has faced legal action in connection with content published on social media. In early January, activist Tako Gvilia faced administrative proceedings following a complaint filed by an officer of the Zugdidi Patrol Police in relation to a post published on a social network.
The bank accounts of Davit Jincharadze, founder of the Freedom Fund, political technologies researcher, and civic activist, have been subject to seizure. He received notification of the enforcement measure on 20 January from the Bank of Georgia. In an interview with the outlet Batumelebi, Davit Jincharadze stated that the administrative offense report imposing the fine was not served on him, and that he became aware of the existence of the fine only while crossing the state border. According to him, information regarding the fine cannot be found on either protocol.ge or police.ge. As he was informed at the border, a fine was issued in his name on 5 September 2025. “There was a protest on Melikishvili Avenue, where I was using a megaphone,” he stated.
Davit Jincharadze founded the Freedom Fund to support participants of pro-European protests and political prisoners. The Fund operates a foreign bank account. He stated that he had also used bank accounts in Georgia to assist protest participants; however, due to the risk of enforcement seizure, he refrained from holding significant sums in those accounts.
Criminal prosecution has been initiated against civic activist Isako Devidze, who was administratively detained pursuant to administrative proceedings. The information was made public by his sister, Mari Devidze. She reported that on the evening of 17 January, she contacted the temporary detention isolator for a routine family inquiry and was informed that the activist was no longer being held there. It later became known that Isako Devidze had been transferred to Gldani Penitentiary Establishment No. 8 without prior notification to his family.
According to the family, criminal proceedings against the activist have been initiated under Article 366 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which criminalizes contempt of court and provides for a penalty of up to one year of imprisonment.
Isako Devidze was administratively detained on 20 December 2025 during a protest on Rustaveli Avenue on the grounds of the alleged verbal insult of a police officer. On 22 December, Judge Zviad Tsekvava imposed 30 days of administrative detention. The term of administrative detention was set to expire on 19 January. Neither the family nor the defense counsel were informed that the court was considering the application of a preventive (custodial) measure in relation to Isako Devidze.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia has initiated a criminal investigation against civic activist Davit Gagrel in connection with standing on a sidewalk. As reported by the activist on social media, the court informed him that the administrative proceedings instituted against him had been terminated and that the case materials were remitted to the Ministry of Internal Affairs due to the presence of indicia of a criminal offense.
According to Davit Gagrel, the court indicated that the alleged act – obstructing pedestrians’ movement on a sidewalk on 18 December 2025 could not be assessed solely within the framework of administrative liability, as he had previously served detention under the same provision. On this basis, the administrative proceedings were discontinued and the case was referred to law enforcement authorities for criminal legal qualification.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs alleges that Davit Gagrel obstructed citizens’ movement in connection with a protest expressed on a sidewalk. On this basis, administrative proceedings have been instituted against protest participants since Georgian Dream adopted a further repressive legislative amendment restricting freedom of assembly on 12 December 2025, which in fact prohibited protests on sidewalks. Under the amended legal framework, a first violation is punishable by administrative detention of up to 15 days (up to 20 days for organizers), while a repeated violation may entail the imposition of criminal liability.
On the same legal grounds, the court has, to date, remitted the cases of five civic activists to the Ministry of Internal Affairs for further criminal-law assessment: Vazha Gaprindashvili, Giorgi Tsulaia, Ana Bdeiani, and father and son Kakha and Konstantine Mikaia. In total, six activists currently face the risk of criminal prosecution in connection with protests conducted on sidewalks.
On 16 January 2026, translator and civic activist Nino Bardzimashvili was detained in connection with an earlier road-blocking case. As established, at the end of December 2025, the court imposed a sentence of five days of administrative detention on her on the grounds of allegedly blocking a roadway during protests on Rustaveli Avenue in October.
The reasons why the activist was detained three weeks later for the execution of the custodial sanction remain unknown. She was detained near her residence and transferred to the Rustavi temporary detention isolator.
Russian civic activist and convicted person Anastasia Zinovkina, detained in connection with pro-European protests, has been transferred to a closed-type penitentiary institution, and the number of telephone calls and family visits permitted to her has been restricted. According to her lawyer, Daria Samodurova, Anastasia Zinovkina had been held in a semi-open penitentiary facility since 12 September 2025. The transfer was ordered on the basis of a decision dated 15 January 2026, which cites a “classified hearing record” as its legal ground. Accordingly, the specific reasons for the change in the type of penitentiary institution applied to Anastasia Zinovkina remain undisclosed. The order of the Director General of the Special Penitentiary Service, circulated by the defense, states that Anastasia Zinovkina is classified as a “convicted person posing an increased security risk.” The lawyer has indicated that the 15 January order will be appealed in the near future.Anastasia Zinovkina is a citizen of the Russian Federation and a participant in protests opposing Vladimir Putin. She arrived in Georgia in late 2022. On 17 December 2024, she was detained together with her friend Artem Gribul.
The Prosecutor’s Office charged them with possession of 16 grams of narcotic substances, and both were sentenced to eight years and six months of imprisonment. Anastasia Zinovkina and Artem Gribul participated in pro-European protests in Tbilisi, where they provided demonstrators with hot beverages. According to them, this activity became the basis for their detention. Anastasia Zinovkina has a serious health condition and accuses the prison administration of failure to provide adequate medical care.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs has initiated criminal prosecution against civic activist Kakha Mikaia, a former member of the Political Council of Georgian Dream, and his son, Konstantine Mikaia, in connection with standing on a sidewalk. In an interview with TV Pirveli, Kakha Mikaia stated: “I received a decision stating that, following amendments to certain provisions of the Administrative Offences Code, the case has been transferred to criminal proceedings. This was expected from the current authorities.”
Father and son Kakha and Konstantine Mikaia are active participants in the protests on Rustaveli Avenue. Both had previously been subjected to administrative detention on the grounds of allegedly blocking a roadway. On 21 October 2025, Judge Nino Enukidze sentenced Kakha Mikaia, who had been detained during a protest on allegations of unlawfully blocking a roadway, to 14 days of administrative detention. On the same day, Konstantine Mikaia was also sentenced to 14 days of administrative detention. Prior to that, on 17 September 2025, Konstantine Mikaia had been detained for 10 days for non-payment of a fine.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs has been accusing individuals of obstructing citizens’ movement for protests expressed on sidewalks since Georgian Dream adopted another repressive legislative amendment restricting freedom of assembly on 12 December 2025, which in fact banned protests on sidewalks. Under the amended legal framework, a first violation is punishable by administrative detention for 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 the cases of three civic activists to the Ministry of Internal Affairs for further action: Vazha Gaprindashvili, Giorgi Tsulaia, and Ana Bdeiani.
The bank accounts of civic activist Elene Devidze, a participant in pro-European protests, have been subject to enforcement seizure. She disclosed this information via social media. In an interview with the outlet Publika, she stated that the enforcement measure was imposed in connection with an outstanding administrative fine.
According to available information, Elene Devidze was subjected to an administrative fine in the amount of GEL 5,000 on 10 August 2025 on the grounds of the alleged blocking of a roadway. The activist reports that she was not duly notified of the imposition of the fine, as her contact number was incorrectly recorded by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the administrative offense report was not personally served on her. Elene Devidze has stated her intention to challenge the fine through legal remedies.
Elene Devidze is the sister of Mate Devidze, a convicted prisoner of conscience. Mate Devidze was detained on 19 November 2024 during a protest against the results of the parliamentary elections on charges of assault on a police officer and was subsequently sentenced to four years and six months of imprisonment~
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.
A patrol police officer of the Zugdidi Police Department, Nikoloz Thordia, has filed an administrative complaint against civic activist Tako Gvilia in connection with a post published on a social media platform. The officer alleges that the activist committed verbal insult in a public statement.
As Tako Gvilia wrote on social media, she was served with an administrative offense report several minutes earlier, which states that she published a public post on social media in which she allegedly verbally insulted police officer Nikoloz Thordia.
Tako Gvilia is not the first activist against whom Nikoloz Thordia has filed a complaint. In December 2025, the patrol police officer also filed an administrative complaint against Mariam Sichinava, a member of the political party Droa, alleging the use of the Megrelian word “lodos” (“fool”) in a social media post. Mariam Sichinava was subsequently subjected to an administrative fine of GEL 3,000.
