Civil activist Shota Odishvili was sentenced to 10 days of administrative detention by Judge Zviad Tsekvava of the Tbilisi City Court. The case concerns allegations of disobedience to police.
Odishvili, who had referred to the honorary chair of “Georgian Dream,” Bidzina Ivanishvili, in an insulting manner, was detained on April 9 near the April 9 Memorial, as representatives of “Georgian Dream” arrived at the site and police attempted to remove activists using force.
According to the detainee’s lawyer, Marika Arevadze, the Ministry of Internal Affairs charged him with petty hooliganism and disobedience to a lawful order of a police officer.
The bank accounts of Elene Akhobadze, the mother of “prisoner of conscience” Saba Skhvitaridze, have been placed under seizure. The information was disclosed by Akhobadze herself via social media. “Yesterday, on the Feast of the Annunciation, during Holy Week, this ‘religious’ government, without any prior notice, imposed a seizure on my accounts over a non-existent fine. I have not received any notification or fine,” she wrote.
Under Article 174¹ of the Code of Administrative Offences, “artificial blocking of the road” constitutes a violation of the rules governing the organization and conduct of assemblies and demonstrations. Since February 7 of last year, the fine for “artificially blocking the road” has increased tenfold to 5,000 GEL. Hundreds of participants in pro-European protests have reportedly been issued such fines, with the cumulative amount reaching several million GEL. Where fines remain unpaid, enforcement measures include the seizure of bank accounts. Multiple such cases have already been documented.
Civil activists Tornike Toshkhua and Mindia Shervashidze, who were arrested in August 2025 on charges of group violence, were found guilty by the court and each sentenced to one year of imprisonment. The decision was delivered on April 1 by Judge Elene Goguadze of the Tbilisi City Court. The sentence is to be calculated from the date of arrest.
Tornike Toshkhua (37) and Mindia Shervashidze (33) are participants in the pro-European protests on Rustaveli Avenue. They were arrested on August 16, following an incident that occurred on August 1. On that day, the activists attempted to remove from the area an individual armed with a knife – identified as Georgian Dream supporter Beka Gotsiridze, who was allegedly attempting to provoke a confrontation. The attempt resulted in an incident.
Subsequently, the Prosecutor’s Office brought charges against the activists under the provision of group violence (Article 126¹, paragraph 1, subparagraph “b” of the Criminal Code of Georgia). The court did not accept the defense’s argument that the defendants had acted within the bounds of necessary self-defense. Legal representatives have assessed the decision as setting a dangerous precedent.
Civil activist Spartak Tsiklauri was found liable for an administrative offence in connection with a protest held on a sidewalk and was sentenced to 4 days of administrative detention.
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.”
Civil activist Vakhtang Ramishvili was found liable for an administrative offence in connection with a protest held on a sidewalk and was sentenced to 4 days of administrative detention. The decision was issued by Judge Tornike Kapanadze of the Tbilisi City Court. The Ministry of Internal Affairs charged Ramishvili with creating an obstruction for pedestrians on the sidewalk.
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.”
On 22 October 2025, Judge Nino Enukidze of the Tbilisi City Court found civic activist Giorgi Eliashvili liable for an administrative offence on the grounds of failure to comply with a lawful order of the police and imposed an administrative fine of GEL 2,000.
According to available information, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia alleged that Eliashvili had artificially obstructed a roadway and failed to comply with a lawful police order, namely to leave the road. However, the court established that Eliashvili had not blocked the road and discontinued the proceedings in that part. Notwithstanding this finding, the court nevertheless held him liable for disobedience and imposed the fine.
Proceedings commenced in October 2025 and were postponed on several occasions due to the failure to present evidence. The examination of evidence was concluded in November 2025. Video footage submitted by the defence indicates that, at the time of detention, Eliashvili was standing on the curb and was subsequently moved onto the roadway by police officers. Eliashvili was detained on 22 October 2025.In a social media statement, his lawyer, Boris Chele Kurua, questioned the legal basis for the finding of disobedience, noting that the court itself determined that Eliashvili had not been engaged in the conduct (road blocking) which he was allegedly ordered to cease.
Civic activist Ana Ingorokva stated on social media that enforcement proceedings were initiated against activist Data Chachua, and a seizure was imposed without him having received prior information regarding the fine. According to the same source, upon seeking clarification, he was informed that he had been administratively fined in March 2025 for blocking a road. The amount of the fine is GEL 5,350.
According to civil activist Natia Gabrava, enforcement proceedings were initiated against her and her bank accounts were subjected to seizure due to a fine imposed in connection with a social media post concerning a senior official of the Patrol Police Department, Lasha Salukvadze.
According to the case materials, Gabrava referred to Salukvadze in an offensive manner on social media, following which Salukvadze filed a complaint with the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The case was examined under Article 173(2) of the Code of Administrative Offences, which concerns verbal insult of a law enforcement officer. In November, 2025 Judge Tornike Kochkian of the Tbilisi City Court imposed a fine of GEL 5,000 on Gabrava.
Due to non-payment of the fine, enforcement proceedings were initiated, and the National Bureau of Enforcement imposed seizure on Gabrava’s bank accounts. According to Gabrava, the total amount subject to seizure is GEL 5,350. She further stated that the seized funds included money collected to support the family of a detainee.Gabrava later wrote on social media that the required amount was raised through public support.
Ani Kistauri, an employee of the Media Development Foundation (MDF), was subjected to 2 days of administrative detention. The decision was delivered by Judge Davit Makaradze.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs drew up an administrative offence report against Kistauri for standing on a pavement. The case concerns her presence in front of Parliament on 17 and 18 December 2025 during pro-European protest actions.
During the hearing, the Ministry’s representative, Tekla Kobakhidze, stated that, during Kistauri’s presence at the location, pedestrians were required to move onto the bus lane in order to continue to their destination, which, in her assessment, constituted an obstruction of pedestrian movement. On this basis, she requested that Kistauri be found liable for an administrative offence.
However, the Ministry’s representative did not substantiate the basis on which it was asserted that the individuals who moved onto the bus lane were not protest participants and that their movement had in fact been obstructed, relying instead on her own assessment.
At the stage of the proceedings, defence lawyer Mariam Jikia submitted two motions: first, requesting the termination of the proceedings on the grounds that the relevant legal provision is currently under review before the Constitutional Court, and second, requesting the examination of the patrol inspectors who had drawn up the administrative offence reports. Judge Makaradze dismissed both motion.
Civil activist Mariam Kipiani was subjected to 2 days of administrative detention for standing on a pavement. The decision was delivered by Judge Davit Makaradze.
During the hearing, the representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Tekla Kobakhidze, stated that, during the protest, Kipiani was standing in front of Parliament with the intention of deliberately obstructing pedestrian movement. She further indicated that demonstrators had occupied the pedestrian walkway and were expressing their protest in this manner. She requested that Kipiani be found liable for an administrative offence; however, she did not specify where the protest could have been conducted, given that, under the applicable legislation, blocking a roadway is sanctioned in a similar manner.
At the hearing, the Ministry presented surveillance footage from 112, showing several individuals moving from the pavement onto the bus lane while passing near Parliament. According to the Ministry’s representative, these individuals were not participants in the protest and had to move onto the bus lane because the pavement was fully occupied.
The defence asked whether these individuals had raised any complaints, to which the Ministry’s representative responded that no communication had taken place with them. When asked on what basis it was asserted that they were not protest participants and that their movement had been obstructed, Kobakhidze stated: “I am certain.”
