The Zugdidi District Court imposed an administrative fine of GEL 1,750 on Zugdidi-based civic activist and street artist Rostom Zarandia for creating the “Megobari Act” geoglyph, following an administrative complaint lodged by the Environmental Supervision Service of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection.
The “Megobari Act” geoglyph is a 380-meter-long inscription created on agricultural land in western Georgia, near the coastal town of Anaklia. According to the activist’s explanation, the geoglyph was intended to draw the attention of the local and international public to the significance for Georgia of the “Megobari Act,” which has been initiated in the Senate. In connection with the same geoglyph, Rostom Zarandia had previously been subjected to an administrative fine of GEL 2,000 imposed by the Zugdidi City Hall.
Tbilisi City Court Judge Davit Makaradze remitted to the Ministry of Internal Affairs the case of civic activist and United National Movement member Giorgi Tsulaia, who had been accused of obstructing movement due to protesting on a sidewalk. The judge identified indicia of a criminal offense in Giorgi Tsulaia’s case, as the activist had previously been subjected to detention for blocking a roadway (on 22 October 2025, he was sentenced to eight days of detention).
The Ministry of Internal Affairs initiated new proceedings against Giorgi Tsulaia on 17 December 2025 in connection with his participation in a protest held on that date. On the same day, the Ministry initiated proceedings against more than 20 individuals, including doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili, whose case was likewise remitted to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
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 protest participants with “obstructing citizens’ movement” for protests carried out on sidewalks, which the amended legislation in fact banned. Under the amended legal framework, a first offense is punishable by administrative detention of up to 15 days (up to 20 days for organizers), while a repeated offense may entail criminal liability.
Civic activist and doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili is facing the threat of criminal prosecution for standing on a sidewalk. The Ministry of Internal Affairs accuses him of “obstructing citizens’ movement” in connection with the protest held on 22 December 2025.
On 8 January, an administrative hearing was held in this case, after which Judge Tornike Kapanadze referred the case to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, citing the presence of elements of a criminal offense. Vazha Gaprindashvili has previously been identified as an administrative offender on the grounds of allegedly “blocking a roadway.”The Ministry of Internal Affairs has been bringing charges of “obstructing citizens’ movement” against protest participants for expressions of protest carried out on sidewalks since Georgian Dream adopted another repressive legislative amendment restricting freedom of assembly on 12 December 2025, which effectively banned protests even on sidewalks. Under the legislation, a first offense is punishable by administrative detention of up to 15 days (up to 20 days for organizers), while a repeated offense may result in criminal liability.
