According to Radio Liberty, Marina Klimchuk, an 8-month pregnant journalist and German citizen, was denied entry to Georgia. On May 11, she was stopped at Tbilisi International Airport and informed that she had an outstanding fine of 5,000 GEL for an administrative offense. Klimchuk spent almost 24 hours in the airport’s temporary holding room. According to her, the room lacked both a blanket and a pillow. She was escorted by a law enforcement officer to purchase food but was not allowed to eat it there and was sent back to the holding room. After a nearly 24-hour wait, Klimchuk was sent back to Germany.
Klimchuk states that she had no prior knowledge of the fine and was not shown the penalty protocol at the airport. She suspects that the reason for her denial of entry may be linked to her journalistic work. During her time in Georgia last year, the journalist worked on several articles, including reports on the developments surrounding the Anaklia deep-sea port.
According to Klimchuk, she was willing to pay the so-called fine and even transferred 3,000 GEL to an account provided by the border guards. However, she was later told that paying the fee was pointless because she would not be allowed into the country anyway. The transferred funds were subsequently returned to her.
The journalist’s lawyer, Mariam Jikia, states that Klimchuk was not provided with the necessary documentation, including the penalty protocol, and that the official decision denying her entry cited the non-payment of the fine as the reason. The lawyer announced plans to appeal to the Public Defender to investigate the possible mistreatment of the 8-month pregnant woman.
On January 26, 2026, Formula TV journalist Nano Chakvetadze had her phone confiscated, the footage recorded on site was deleted, and she was threatened with arrest.
According to information reported by the media, a Formula journalist was covering the death of an employee of the Anti-Corruption Agency near the building of the State Security Service (SSS), when the media representative was obstructed while performing her professional duties.
“We tried to film footage and ask questions to investigators, but first they forcibly took our phone, and then, again using force, made us leave the area,” says Formula TV journalist Nano Chakvetadze.
The incident was addressed by the Media Advocacy Coalition. “Pressure on journalists and the unlawful restriction of their work constitute a gross violation of media freedom. We stand in solidarity with Nano Chakvetadze and all representatives of independent media who are forced to work and inform the public in an extremely challenging environment,” the coalition’s statement reads.
On January 16, Tbilisi City Court Judge Nino Enukidze terminated the administrative proceedings initiated against journalist Afgan Sadigov and referred the case to the Tbilisi Police Department, as the court assessed that his actions may contain elements of a criminal offense. This means that the journalist faces the risk of a criminal investigation being launched.
The case concerns an incident that occurred on December 17–18, 2025. The Ministry of Internal Affairs accuses Afgan Sadigov of obstructing traffic and/or pedestrian movement. According to the court’s assessment, since the journalist had already been subjected to an administrative penalty on the same grounds in October 2025, the conduct contains signs of a criminal offense.
This decision was made against the backdrop of legislative amendments under which, in the event of a repeated violation, administrative liability is replaced by criminal liability.
On October 25, 2025, TV company “Formula’s” cameraman Nika Pataraia was detained. The court sentenced Pataraia to 4 days of administrative detention for blocking the road.
A total of 7 journalists/cameramen have been detained for blocking the road, including 4 representatives of TV company “Formula.”
The new legislative changes adopted by “Georgian Dream” significantly restrict freedom of assembly and expression. Citizens and activists are also being arrested for participating in the pro-European protest.
On October 24, Publika journalist Basti Mgaloblishvili was arrested and released a few hours later.
According to Publika, Mgaloblishvili was told that he had been “mistaken for someone else” and was then released.
“They stopped a taxi near my house, dragged me out of the car like a terrorist. Two of them weren’t in uniform. Only the one in the car waiting for me was wearing one. They snatched my phone and locked me inside the vehicle. At the same time, they kept saying I wasn’t under arrest… They knew exactly who I was — this so-called ‘special operation’ was meant to intimidate me and pressure independent media,” Mgaloblishvili said after his release.
Similarly, several other journalists were arrested and sentenced to prison during protest demonstrations — including Formula TV reporters Vakho Sanaia, Keta Tsitskishvili, and Tsira Zhvania, as well as Georgian Public Broadcaster board member Lika Basialia-Shavgulidze and journalist Afgan Sadigov.
On October 22, 2025, Lika Basialia-Shavgulidze, a member of the Georgian Public Broadcaster Supervisory Board, was arrested at a protest.
Footage shows the journalist standing on the sidewalk, addressing the police. She was neither wearing a mask nor blocking the road.
Police used excessive force to detain Lika Basialia-Shavgulidze. Later, her lawyer reported that she sustained injuries to her neck during the arrest.
Lika Basialia-Shavgulidze is the fifth journalist to be detained since the ruling Georgian Dream party passed new restrictive legislative amendments in Parliament.
The Georgian Dream Parliament introduced several changes to laws that further limit the freedoms of assembly and expression. Over 80 people have been detained in the past few days under these changes.
The arrest of journalists by Georgian Dream is a direct attack on media freedom and freedom of expression. Under such conditions, the work of independent media faces serious threats, significantly restricting the public’s right to be informed, according to a statement by the Media Advocacy Coalition.
On Wednesday, October 22, Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Sadigov was detained at a protest for blocking the road.
Judge Zviad Tsekvava sentenced the journalist to 14 days of administrative imprisonment.
In recent days, journalists from the TV company “Formula” — Vakho Sanaia, Keta Tsitskishvili, and Tsira Zhvania — were detained on the grounds of blocking the road.
The Parliament of “Georgian Dream” passed amendments to the law that further restrict freedom of assembly and expression. Based on the amendment, more than 80 people have been detained in the past few days.
Both local and international organizations have reacted to the detention of journalists.
“The detention of journalists by ‘Georgian Dream’ is a direct attack on media and freedom of expression. Under such conditions, the work of independent media is under serious threat, which significantly limits the democratic society’s right to be informed,” states the Media Advocacy Coalition’s statement.
On Tuesday, October 21, Tsira Zhvania, a social media journalist for TV Company “Formula”, was detaned for blocking a road during a protest. According to the TV company, she was met by two police officers at her home.
The Tbilisi City Court sentenced the journalist to 10 days of administrative detention.
This is the third case when, based on the tightened legislation, journalists have been detained on the grounds of blocking a road during a protest. On October 19, Vakho Sanaia, a journalist and TV presenter for TV Company “Formula”, was arrested and sentenced to 6 days in prison. On October 20, Keta Tsitskishvili, a journalist for the same TV company, was arrested and sentenced to 5 days in prison. “The arrest of journalists by the Georgian Dream is a direct attack on the freedom of the media and expression. In such conditions, the activities of independent media are facing serious threats, which significantly restricts the right of a democratic society to be informed,” the Media Advocacy Coalition said in a statement.
On Monday, October 20, journalist and TV presenter Keta Tsitskishvili from the TV company Formula was detaned. According to media reports, she is accused of blocking a road. A day earlier, on October 19, journalist Vakho Sanaia was detaned on the same charge and sentenced to five days in prison.
The Media Advocacy Coalition condemned Tsitskishvili’s arrest, calling it an act of pressure and an attack on independent media.
“The arrest of journalists by Georgian Dream is a direct assault on the media and freedom of expression. Under such conditions, the work of independent media faces serious threats, severely limiting the public’s right to information in a democratic society,” the coalition said in a statement.
On October 19, Vakho Sanaia, a journalist and TV presenter for the TV company Formula, was detained. He is accused of blocking a road, and the Tbilisi City Court sentenced him to six days of administrative detention.
That same day, police also arrested several other participants of the rally, accusing them of blocking the road and covering their faces during the protest. The ruling Georgian Dream party recently tightened legislation, replacing fines with imprisonment for concealing one’s face at rallies.
The Media Advocacy Coalition condemned the journalist’s arrest, calling it “a gross violation of media freedom and freedom of speech.”
