Persecution for expressing critical position

Six journalists injured near Tbilisi mayoral candidate, Kakha Kaladze’s, campaign headquarters

On September 8, 2025, while covering a rally outside the election headquarters of Georgian Dream’s Tbilisi mayoral candidate, Kakha Kaladze, party supporters and law enforcement officers assaulted journalists, verbally abused them, and confiscated mobile phones. One journalist required medical treatment.

According to the online outlet Publika two reporters, Aleksandre Keshelashvili and Keto Mikadze, were physically assaulted by Georgian Dream supporters while on assignment, and their mobile phones were seized. With the help of a Netgazeti journalist, they recovered only one device Keshelashvili’s phone [timecode: 1:14–1:20]. The outlet reports that it has video evidence showing who took the other phone and has called on that individual to return it, and on the Ministry of Internal Affairs to respond to the theft of editorial equipment and interference in journalistic work.

According to online Netgazeti, a police officer swore at its reporter Ketevan Khutsishvili, physically grabbed and dragged her, and interfered with her work while she was broadcasting live and filming the confrontation outside the headquarters, including the attack on the colleague – Aleksandre Keshelashvili. “They used rude and vulgar gestures to swear. Then a policeman came up to me, saying, ‘Don’t provoke me,’ grabbed me by the arms and dragged me. Then a second and a third came, and one of the policemen cursed me. After that, a man in a blue shirt came and also cursed me. Finally, they dragged me and threw me among the policemen, and one of them even grabbed my hand,” Khutsishvili says. [Video material, timecode: 0:30–2:32]

A Georgian Dream supporter poured a bottle of water over Mariam Nikuradze, OC Media’s founder and photojournalist, as she filmed police clearing protesters. “At that moment, one of the Georgian Dream supporters approached me and poured a whole bottle of water on my head in the presence of the police. The police didn’t say anything to him, I pushed him aside,” Nikuradze told MediaChecker.

An investigative journalist with Studio Monitor, Keti Tutberidze was also poured a bottle of water while she was performing her professional duties.

Hungarian journalist László Róbert Mézes suffered serious physical injuries after being assaulted by Georgian Dream supporters, who also attempted to seize his phone. He required medical attention.

The Media Advocacy Coalition condemned the incidents, stating that “attacks on independent media and impunity for perpetrators are part of Georgian Dream’s consistent policy,” and expressed solidarity with journalists “forced to perform their professional duties under a violent regime.”

The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics “strongly condemns” the violence against journalists “against the backdrop of the criminal inaction and indifference of the police,” calling on the Ministry of Internal Affairs for an immediate response and on the Prosecutor’s Office to conduct an effective investigation.

Heads of non-governmental organizations summoned for questioning

Leaders of prominent Georgian non-governmental organizations, including members of the Media Advocacy Coalition, have been summoned for questioning by the prosecutor’s office. The questioning is related to the so-called “mask case,” which the prosecutor’s office began investigating in February 2025 on charges of “sabotage, attempted sabotage under aggravating circumstances, and other similar crimes.” According to the organizations, the investigation is unfounded and aims to persecute, intimidate, and dismantle the civil sector.

Based on publicly available information, those summoned for questioning include: Tamta Mikeladze, head of the Social Justice Center; former and current directors of the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED), Nino Dolidze and Levan Natroshvili; Giorgi Mshvenieradze, head of Guardians of Democracy; Baia Pataraia, director of the organization Safar; and Aleko Tskitishvili, head of the Human Rights Center. They have stated on social media that they will agree to questioning only before a magistrate judge. All of them have already been questioned in court.

It should be noted that, in connection with the same case, at the prosecutor’s request, on August 27, 2025, seven organizations’ accounts were frozen: members of the Media Advocacy Coalition – Civil Society Foundation, ISFED, IDFI, GDI – as well as organizations working on human rights and anti-corruption – Guardians of Democracy, Safar, and the Social Justice Center.

“TV Pirveli” cameraman Giorgi Mosiashvili fined 10,000 GEL for “artificially blocking the road”

Giorgi Mosiashvili, a photojournalist for the tv ”Pirveli” was fined twice by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, totaling 10,000 lari. The police accuse him of blocking Rustaveli Avenue on February 21 and March 11. In a post on social media, Mosiashvili noted that he was performing his professional duties at the time the fines were issued.

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.

The Public Broadcaster deducted Giga Kitiya’s salary for making a public appearance

On August 26, 2025, the Public Broadcaster accused editor-operator, Giga Kitia, of causing “reputational damage” to the channel due to his participation in a protest rally on Rustaveli Avenue and deducted 30 percent from his September salary.

The Public Broadcaster warned Giga Kitia that if he is found to have committed a similar or other type of violation within 12 months, he will be dismissed from his job.

The Public Broadcaster also issued a reprimand to the editor-operator in April.

The Public Broadcaster dismissed critical journalists from the channel in April 2025.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau is requesting information about grants from member organizations of the “Media Advocacy Coalition”

On August 11, 2025, several non-governmental organizations four of which are members of the Media Advocacy Coalition received another letter from the Anti-Corruption Bureau accusing them of violating the “Foreign Agents Registration Act” (FARA). The organizations concerned are the Civil Society Foundation, Transparency International Georgia, the Media Development Foundation, and the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED).

“They are threatening us with criminal liability and demanding explanations as to why we did not register as agents,” the organizations said in a joint statement.

According to members of the coalition, FARA does not apply to them, and they do not intend to comply with what they call “Russian laws.”

“Our mission is election observation, exposing corruption and disinformation, defending democracy, and assisting the Georgian people,” the organizations stated.

The NGOs first received a letter from the Anti-Corruption Bureau in June 2025.

The International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN), of which the Media Development Foundation is a member, condemned the harassment of fact-checkers and civil society in Georgia.
“The investigations launched by the Anti-Corruption Bureau, as well as the threat of criminal liability under the so-called foreign agents law, represent an alarming escalation against organizations that provide the public with reliable information,” the IFCN said in a statement.

Georgian Dream Parliamentary Chairman Attempts to Discredit Manager of Netgazeti and Batumelebi Publications

On June 20, 2025, Georgian Dream Parliamentary Chairman Shalva Papuashvili attempted to discredit the pre-detained manager of the online publications Netgazeti and Batumelebi, Mzia Amaglobeli, with a post on social media: “Solidarity to violence is incitement to further violence.”

Papuashvili’s statement followed a post shared by the European Union Delegation, in which the delegation expressed solidarity with the publication Batumelebi and Mzia Amaglobeli and called on Georgian Dream to “stop the systematic attack on democratic institutions and fundamental rights.” The EU delegation’s post is accompanied by a photo featuring the EU ambassador and the editor of Batumelebi

Founder of Batumelebi/Netgazeti outlets, Mzia Amaglobeli, sentenced to 2 years in prison

Judge Nino Sakhelashvili of the Batumi City Court reclassified the charges against the founder of the online publications Batumelebi and Netgazeti, journalist Mzia Amaglobeli, and sentenced her to two years in prison.

Mzia Amaglobeli was charged with assaulting a police officer after slapping the Chief of Batumi Police, and was charged under Article 353 Prima of the Criminal Code, which envisions 4 to 7 years in prison. On the day of the verdict, the judge reclassified the charges to Article 353 Part One of the Criminal Code. The article in question refers to resisting a police officer, a special penitentiary service employee or another government official with the aim of obstructing the maintenance of public order, interrupting or changing his activities. The article provides for a fine or house arrest for a term of up to two years or imprisonment for a term of 2 to 6 years.

Mzia Amaglobeli’s attorneys plan to appeal the case after the verdict is handed down.

Mzia Amaglobeli was first arrested on January 11 of this year under administrative law, and a few hours later, on January 12, under criminal law.

The pro-government television channel “Imedi” continues to discredit independent journalists and media outlets

The television channel “Imedi,” controlled by the Georgian Dream party, criticized Al Jazeera’s report on Georgia during its weekly talk show Imedi Week and referred to independent and critical Georgian media and journalists as politically biased.

The report covered current events in Georgia and included respondents such as former Public Broadcaster journalist Nino Zautashvili and Netgazeti editor Nestan Tsetsladze. The author of the Imedi segment described them as “subjective journalists from politically biased online media funded by foreign organizations.”

“In the report, Al Jazeera’s journalist and their politically engaged respondents try to portray the term ‘deep state’ as if it was coined by Imedi,” says an Imedi journalist in one segment, while footage shows Netgazeti editor Nestan Tsetsladze and journalist Nino Zautashvili [timecode: 05:46–05:56].

The Imedi Week segment also mentioned Batumelebi/Netgazeti media manager Mzia Amaglobeli, who is in prison, casting doubt on her innocence.

“I advise Ms. Amaglobeli to file a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg if she believes she is imprisoned for practicing journalism. Her case is being expedited due to her imprisonment. A lot of money is being spent on her lawyers, so she should kindly go ahead and file in Strasbourg, though she does not,” says Rukhadze on Al Jazeera [timecode: 05:04–05:46]. Imedi repeats this segment in its report without providing the context of Amaglobeli’s imprisonment, omitting details or showing the respondent who could discuss the legality of her detention.

After two projects, the Public Broadcaster also closed one of its segments

On July 30, 2025, it was announced that starting from the autumn season, the Public Broadcaster’s Channel One will no longer air the segment “People from History.” The host of the segment, Dimitri Silakadze, declined an offer to move to another program and decided to leave the channel. Silakadze is a participant and supporter of the ongoing pro-European protests in the country and is among those who have criticized the editorial policy of the Public Broadcaster.

“This was my last program on the Public Broadcaster… I wish our audience success. I also wish our country unity, strength, the establishment of a just state, and all the good that one can wish for their own country,” said the host to viewers in the season finale on July 29.

His segment “People from History” was initially broadcast on the program “This Weekend” and, since 2024, had moved to the Public Broadcaster’s radio show “Midday Peak Hour.”

In the past week, this is the third instance in which management has halted an ongoing project or segment: as of August 1, the program “This Weekend” will no longer air, and journalist Ia Antadze’s authorial project a series of profiles called “Interesting People”—will also end. All other members of “This Weekend” (seven journalists) and Ia Antadze have left the channel. The team also declined the offer to be redistributed across various TV and radio programs.

Earlier, in May, the Public Broadcaster closed its most well-known social program, “Real Space,” and terminated the employment contract of its host, Nino Zautashvili.

The dismissal or disciplining of employees critical of the channel’s editorial policy coincided with the pro-European protests. To date, more than 20 employees have been either dismissed or subjected to disciplinary sanctions at the Public Broadcaster through disciplinary proceedings.

The leadership of the Public Broadcaster shut down two more projects and dismissed seven journalists

On July 25, 2025, it was announced that the Public Broadcaster’s Channel One would close the program “This Weekend.” The channel’s management offered the program’s team producers, journalists, and hosts positions in other programs. Otherwise, they were informed that their cooperation with the channel would end.

The employees affected are: executive producers Tamar Chincharauli and Mariam Firtshalava, producer Nia Barabadze, journalist Ana Abakelia, and hosts Lika Evgenidze and Giorgi Sharvashidze.

In a letter sent by the broadcaster’s director, Tina Berdzenishvili, to the program team, it was stated that the program’s contract would expire on August 1 and would not be renewed, as the broadcaster no longer required the program: “From the new television season, the refreshed midday schedule will be dedicated to a new project covering every day of the week. Accordingly, there is no longer a need for a separate program solely for the weekend.”

All six employees declined to move to other programs. As a result, they were dismissed from their positions on August 1. All six journalists are part of the “Guardians of the Public Broadcaster” and have been criticizing the broadcaster’s biased editorial policy for eight months.

On the same day, it was also announced that Channel One had closed journalist Ia Antadze’s project “Interesting People.” “Of course, this decision was not unexpected, as I see it as a natural consequence of my choices and responsibilities,” Antadze wrote on social media.

The dismissal or disciplining of employees critical of the channel’s editorial policy began at the Public Broadcaster alongside the pro-European protests. To date, through disciplinary proceedings, 13 employees have been either dismissed or subjected to disciplinary sanctions.