Administrative body

Communications Commission Announces Practical Enforcement of Norms Established by the Law on Broadcasting and the Code of Conduct for Broadcasters

The Communications Commission has announced that starting next week—March 9—it will begin the practical enforcement of the norms established by the Law on Broadcasting and the Code of Conduct for Broadcasters and will initiate monitoring of broadcasters.

The initiative to activate monitoring of the Code of Conduct for Broadcasters and the Law on Broadcasting was adopted by ComCom shortly after the United Kingdom sanctioned the government-affiliated propaganda outlets Imedi and POSTV. The agency considers that the sanctioning of these television stations is “aimed both at restricting fair competition among mass media outlets and hindering the professional activities of journalists, which could pose a threat to media pluralism and freedom of speech in the country.”

The Communications Commission cites the Law on Broadcasting and the Code of Conduct for Broadcasters, stating that these acts mandate the Commission to ensure the protection of objectivity standards in the media. According to their statement, despite the existence of the law, for nearly a year the Commission has only responded to complaints and has not initiated administrative proceedings against broadcasters on its own under this law.

“Given the above and based on the analysis of the challenges in the media environment, we consider it necessary for the Commission to bring into practice the norms established by the Law on Broadcasting and the Code of Conduct for Broadcasters starting next week. This is to ensure that the objectivity of broadcasters is assessed based on proper procedures and high legal standards,” the statement reads.

Last year, “Georgian Dream” passed repressive amendments to the Law on Broadcasting. These changes relate to the regulation of broadcaster content. According to the amendments:

The expression of opinion is restricted in news programs as well as during the coverage of other public policy issues (excluding author programs);
A person against whom accusations have been made in a program must be given the opportunity to provide a timely and proper response. The response must be covered fairly and accurately;
The law defines all instances in which obtaining and/or transmitting information using undercover methods is justified; additionally, a standard for undercover recording on private property was established.

The Media Advocacy Coalition has responded to the statement released by the Communications Commission, believing that it contains clear signals regarding potential pressure and threats against independent media. “It is particularly problematic that the Commission, which by law should be an independent regulator and a guarantor of media freedom, creates the impression with its own statement that it is ready to use regulatory mechanisms as an instrument for evaluating and controlling the editorial activities of the media,” the statement says.

The Charter of Journalistic Ethics urges the National Communications Commission to refrain from evaluating content-related issues that fall within the scope of editorial independence and which, according to Georgian tradition and international practice, are subjects of self-regulation. Any other approach, even if based on the recent controversial changes to the Law on Broadcasting, will be viewed by the journalistic community as an attempt to impose censorship and a gross interference in the editorial independence of broadcasters.

“Georgian Dream” Passes Legislative Amendments Regarding Foreign Funding and “Non-Recognition of Government” in Final Reading

On January 28 and February 16, 2026, “Georgian Dream” initiated a package of legislative amendments concerning the Law on Grants, the Criminal Code, the Code of Administrative Offenses, and the Law on Political Associations of Citizens. On March 4, during a plenary session, “Georgian Dream” passed these changes in the third and final reading.

The adopted amendments significantly tighten regulations regarding foreign funding and expand the definition of a “grant” to include financial as well as in-kind resources and technical assistance that could be used to influence Georgia’s political processes. The bill also imposes additional restrictions on political activity, including prohibiting employees of organizations receiving foreign funding from holding membership in political parties and increasing accountability for so-called “external lobbying.”

The legislative package also included changes to the Criminal Code, according to which the systemic non-recognition of the government and public, systematic calls for mass violation of legislation, disobedience toward government bodies, or the creation of alternative government bodies become punishable offenses. The law will enter into force immediately upon its official publication.

The Communications Commission Initiated Administrative Proceedings Against TV Company “Caucasus” Over Donations Received from the USA

According to Nino Jangirashvili, head of TV company “Caucasus,” the Communications Commission has initiated administrative proceedings against the broadcaster on the basis of an individual donation received from the USA. At the Commission’s request, the broadcaster must provide detailed information about the received funds and the corresponding documentation within 3 working days.

With the amendments made to the “Broadcasting Law” in 2025, foreign funding of broadcasters was completely prohibited, and the regulator’s powers were significantly expanded, including mechanisms for access to financial information. In parallel, the “Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence” has been in effect since 2024. These regulations have had a substantial impact on media funding models, resulting in several broadcasters continuing to operate, including by relying on donations from citizens.

According to Nino Jangirashvili, TV company “Caucasus,” given the legislative environment in the country, uses citizen donations as one of its main sources of funding and ensures broadcasting continuity based precisely on this model. Such income is generally used to cover operational expenses necessary for the daily functioning of the channel, making it practically impossible to specify the exact purpose of any particular donation.

This case clearly reflects the environment in which media operates against the backdrop of legislative changes, while the regulator’s initiation of proceedings based on individual donations raises additional questions regarding the proportionality of regulatory practices.

The “State Security Committee” of Occupied Tskhinvali Publishes Personal Data of Former Voice of America Journalist

The so-called State Security Committee of the Tskhinvali region, occupied by the Russian Federation, has published the personal data of former Voice of America correspondent Nino Dalakishvili.

On February 2, 2026, the agency released a statement regarding a criminal case initiated against Tskhinvali activist Tamar Mearakishvili. The statement claims that Tamar Mearakishvili was collecting and disseminating information that posed a threat to the self-proclaimed republic and the Russian Federation, and that she served as an information source for various media outlets, including Voice of America. The statement included screenshots of contacts stored on Tamar Mearakishvili’s mobile phone. One of the photos shows the name, surname, and mobile phone number of Nino Dalakishvili, former correspondent for Voice of America. “In principle, this government should protect me from rights violations by de facto administrations. Well, let it protect me, I don’t know, I’m waiting, here it is,” Nino Dalakishvili wrote on Facebook.

The “Journalistic Ethics Charter” calls on the Georgian State Security Service to immediately take an interest in the unlawful publication of a journalist’s personal data by the so-called State Security Committee of the Tskhinvali puppet regime and to take all necessary measures to ensure the journalist’s safety.

“Georgian Dream” Announces New Repressive Legislative Amendments

On 28 January, following a meeting of the parliamentary majority of Georgian Dream, it was announced that the party intends to initiate a new legislative package during the spring session. The package will include amendments to the Law on Grants, the Criminal Code, the Code of Administrative Offences, and the Law on Political Associations of Citizens.

Based on information presented at a public briefing, the proposed amendments aim to strengthen state control over foreign funding and would significantly restrict the activities of civil society, political actors, media organizations, and the business sector.

Amendments to the Law on Grants

The proposed amendments substantially broaden the definition of a grant. Nearly any monetary or in-kind resource that is used, or may be used, to influence Georgia’s domestic politics, state institutions, or public processes would fall under this definition, including activities linked to foreign political interests or relationships. Receiving such grants would require prior approval from the Government of Georgia.

The draft law also introduces a category of foreign legal entities whose activities are deemed to involve issues related to Georgia. These entities, including branches and representative offices of non-resident organizations, would be permitted to receive funding only with prior government consent. Receiving grants without approval would trigger criminal liability for legal entities and administrative fines for branches and representative offices amounting to twice the value of the grant.

The amendments also cover technical assistance: the provision of knowledge, expertise, consulting, or technology – whether paid or unpaid – financed from foreign sources would be treated as a grant and subject to government approval. This regulation would also apply to the engagement of foreign experts.

In addition, the changes would apply retroactively to grants already received but not yet used. Grant recipients would be required to seek government approval within one month; until approval is granted, the use of such grants would be prohibited, and failure to comply would result in criminal liability.

Amendments to the Criminal Code

The scope of criminal liability is significantly expanded. A new criminal offence is introduced for violations of the Law on Grants, including unlawful cooperation with foreign organizations or foreign individuals. Violations would be punishable by a fine, community service, or imprisonment of up to six years.

The offence of money laundering is further aggravated where the conduct is linked to influencing political issues related to Georgia, carrying a penalty of nine to twelve years’ imprisonment.

Criminal liability is also introduced for political party leaders in cases involving the receipt of foreign funding, as well as for so-called external lobbying, punishable by imprisonment of up to six years or community service.

Amendments to the Law on Political Associations of Citizens

Political party membership would be prohibited for eight years for individuals employed by organizations whose annual income includes more than 20% foreign funding. The draft law defines both “foreign power” and “organizations carrying foreign interests,” including non-profit organizations and media outlets whose non-commercial income exceeds 20% from foreign sources. As a result, a large number of individuals employed in civil society and the media would effectively be excluded from political party membership.

The State Audit Office would be granted authority to monitor the financial activities of political party members, including access to the accounts of ordinary members. The amendments would also apply to individuals deemed by the authorities to have declared political objectives, regardless of formal party affiliation, potentially bringing a wide range of civil activists under these regulations.

Amendments to the Code of Administrative Offences

A new administrative offence is introduced for business entities engaging in public political activities unrelated to their core commercial activities. Violations would result in fines of GEL 20,000, increasing to GEL 40,000 in cases of repeated offences. The definition of political activity under the draft law is broad and may encompass virtually any form of civic action or criticism of public authorities, creating a risk that lawful civic engagement could be subject to legal restrictions.

Overall, the broad and vague expansion of the concept of a grant, the requirement for prior government approval, the tightening of criminal and administrative sanctions, and the application of these rules to broadly defined groups create a legal framework that grants the state wide discretion. These changes would significantly restrict civic space and undermine freedom of expression, association, political participation, and civic engagement, in tension with constitutional guarantees and international human rights standards.

The proposed legislation continues a broader pattern of restrictive laws introduced by Georgian Dream over the past two years, which have been widely criticized by local and international experts as measures targeting media freedom, civil society, and activism.

The Communications Commission issued a verbal warning to ‘Radio Marneuli’

On January 22, the Communications Commission issued a written warning to “Radio Marneuli” over receiving a grant. The Commission’s decision was based on the repressive amendments to the Law on Broadcasting, which prohibit media outlets from receiving grants from donor organizations.

The Commission’s statement noted that the media outlet had received a grant of 32,542 GEL from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).

“The funds were received as part of a grant project and did not fall under the exceptions defined by the Law on Broadcasting, such as commercial advertising, teleshopping, sponsorship, or product placement in programming,” the statement said.

This is the second warning issued to “Radio Marneuli.”

In the first case, the Commission had warned the media outlet over a grant received from Deutsche Welle.

A series of repressive laws were passed by the Parliament under the ruling party, Georgian Dream, including a provision effective from April 1, 2025, banning direct or indirect funding of broadcasters from “foreign forces.”

The amendments were immediately criticized by civil society and independent media, as the provision could be used as a tool to restrict the financial and editorial independence of independent media.

Changes to the One-Time Special Accreditation Procedure in Parliament and Its Impact on Media Activity

From January 1, 2026, a new rule for issuing one-time special accreditation came into effect, according to which the head of the apparatus makes a decision on granting special accreditation no later than 5 working days from the submission of the application. The one-time special accreditation is a mechanism that allows journalists who do not hold parliamentary accreditation to enter the Parliament of Georgia and carry out their professional activities for a specific purpose.

Considering the operational nature of media work, this deadline may create practical difficulties for journalists in terms of timely coverage of ongoing events in Parliament. The issue gains additional significance in the context where the current regulations already set quantitative limits on accredited parliamentary journalists based on the type of media outlet. For example, for online publications, the maximum number of parliamentary accreditations is set at 4 journalists. This change negatively affects the efficiency of media work and creates additional barriers to accessing information in Parliament.

From the perspective of “Georgian Dream,” the imposition of additional restrictions on journalists in the Parliament building is related to the approval of the accreditation rules for media in the Parliament of Georgia on February 6, 2023. Among other provisions, the accreditation rules stipulate that video and photo recording of sessions is allowed only with the permission of the session chairperson, a journalist must stop an interview if the respondent refuses, and the head of the apparatus has the authority to restrict the access, movement, or placement of equipment of accredited journalists based on the “specificity of the event” or “security regime.” These criteria are not specified in the document, which creates a risk of broad discretion. Violations of the rules may result in suspension of accreditation for one to six months.

These regulations have been criticized by the Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics, which assesses that such norms negatively affect the ability to obtain and provide information to the public. Practice has shown that the media accreditation rules have been repeatedly used in the context of restricting the activities of independent journalists.

Repressive legislative amendments restricting the freedom of assembly

On December 12, 2025, “Georgian Dream” adopted another repressive legislative amendment restricting the freedom of assembly, which was considered under an expedited procedure within three days. Since December 2024, “Georgian Dream” has amended the legislation regulating assemblies and demonstrations five times. Each time, the amendments have become increasingly repressive, aiming both to punish demonstrators and to intimidate them preventively.

The legislative changes were introduced into the Law of Georgia “On Assemblies and Demonstrations” and the Code of Administrative Offenses. The amendments significantly strengthen the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ control over assemblies and demonstrations. Under the new rules, organizers are obliged to notify the Ministry of Internal Affairs in advance not only when the action will block transport routes but also when the assembly will take place on pedestrian areas. This obligation applies even to spontaneous gatherings, and the notification must be addressed to the Ministry of Internal Affairs rather than the municipality. In addition, the Ministry is authorized to issue binding instructions regarding changes to the location, time, or route of the demonstration.

When a pedestrian area is blocked en masse, the Ministry of Internal Affairs is authorized to give participants a 15-minute deadline to vacate the area, after which the assembly may be declared unlawful and dispersed. Compliance with this requirement within the given timeframe does not exempt participants from legal liability. Violations are punishable by administrative detention of up to 15 days (up to 20 days for organizers), and repeated violations may result in criminal liability.

The Social Justice Center assesses these legislative amendments as a new stage in the criminalization of the freedom of assembly. According to the organization, restricting gatherings on sidewalks and pedestrian areas constitutes an unconstitutional and unjustified limitation on the right to peaceful assembly. They also state that the goal of the adopted amendments is the effective prohibition of all assemblies.

The legislative changes adopted by “Georgian Dream” have significantly restricted the freedom of assembly and expression for both citizens and journalists. On multiple occasions, journalists have been detained under repressive legislation, including in cases where they were performing their professional duties.

GYLA: Mzia Amaghlobeli’s eyesight problem is reaching an alarming level

According to the Young Lawyers’ Association of Georgia (GYLA), the eyesight condition of Mzia Amaghlobeli, founder of “Batumelebi” and “Netgazeti,” is at an alarming level. The organization notes that Mzia Amaghlobeli has not undergone the necessary examinations and, to date, has not received proper consultation from a doctor, which is essential for maintaining eyesight and planning treatment.

“In 2025, before being placed in the penitentiary institution, her eyesight in the right eye was approximately 30% (0.3), which could have increased up to 90% with corrective glasses. After being placed in prison, her eyesight deteriorated alarmingly. According to examinations conducted on February 4, 2025, her right eye’s eyesight could be corrected with glasses to approximately 60%, but a repeated examination two days later showed that Mzia Amaghlobeli’s eyesight in the right eye had dropped to 0.1 (a 20% decrease in two days), and correction with glasses was now possible only up to 40%, instead of the 90% before imprisonment,” the statement released by GYLA reads.

According to the Young Lawyers’ Association of Georgia, in July 2025, lawyers requested that the prison administration provide Mzia Amaghlobeli with the necessary examinations at the medical institutions she had visited prior to her arrest, where her patient history was kept. This request was denied by the penitentiary service, after which the journalist’s eyesight was examined at a clinic chosen by the prison administration.

“Despite medical assessments that clearly show the alarming deterioration of Mzia Amaghlobeli’s eyesight during her time in prison, the penitentiary institution has not taken any effective measures to arrange adequate examinations and appropriate treatment, nor has the cause of such dramatic deterioration in eyesight been determined,” the statement said.

On August 6, Mzia Amaghlobeli was sentenced by the Batumi City Court to two years in prison. The decision was upheld by the Kutaisi Court of Appeals.

The Penitentiary Service discredits “TV Pirveli” and “Formula”

On November 16, the Penitentiary Service released a public statement accusing the media outlets TV Pirveli and Formula of disseminating false information. The agency responded to stories circulated in the media, where prisoners spoke about the unbearable conditions in the prison, and their family members asked the Public Defender (Ombudsman) to start an urgent monitoring of the penitentiary system. They also demanded that the Ombudsman establish how many medical personnel serve the Gldani Prison and who is responsible for the spoiled food brought into the facility.

The Penitentiary Service responded to the prisoners’ accusations with a statement, noting that such problems do not exist in the system.

On November 15, the agency also dismissed as false a story aired on TV Pirveli’s Saturday program, in which a prisoner of conscience, Rezo Kiknadze, described the situation in the system in a letter.

This is not the first time that “Georgian Dream” and the institutions under its influence have attempted to discredit critical and independent media outlets.