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.
On 14 January 2026, civic activist Nutsa Mkharadze was detained during a solidarity protest in support of the Iranian people held outside the Iranian Embassy in Tbilisi. The Ministry of Internal Affairs accuses Nutsa Mkharadze of disobedience to a lawful order of the police and verbal insult.
According to Radio Tavisupleba prior to Nutsa Mkharadze’s detention, demonstrators expressed their protest by crossing from one side of the road to the other at the traffic light located near the Iranian Embassy when the green signal was illuminated. Subsequently, as the police explained, the “traffic light malfunctioned,” and Mkharadze began crossing the roadway precisely at that moment.
A court hearing in Nutsa Mkharadze’s case was held on 16 January, during the hearing, her health condition deteriorated. Nutsa Mkharadze alleges ill-treatment while held in a temporary detention isolator, stating: “I lost consciousness twice and experienced convulsions. I am experiencing panic attacks due to my emotional condition, although I had not experienced such symptoms previously. I was held in the isolator for two days without being permitted to wash and was unlawfully detained, which likely affected my condition.” The next court hearing is scheduled for 27 January.
Pursuant to the amendments introduced to the Administrative Offences Code of Georgia, disobedience to a lawful order of a police officer (Article 173, Part 1) is punishable by a fine in the amount of GEL 2,000 to GEL 5,000 or administrative detention for a period of up to 60 days. Verbal insult of a law enforcement officer, including the use of abusive language (Article 173, Part 2), is punishable by a fine in the amount of GEL 2,000 to GEL 5,000 or administrative detention for a period of up to 60 days.
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.
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.
