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Incidents of Interference, Violence, and Damage to Media Equipment During the October 4 Rally

On October 4, 2025, a large-scale protest rally in Tbilisi witnessed numerous cases of verbal and physical attacks on media representatives, obstruction of their work, and damage to equipment. For the first time during this rally, some online media outlets were unable to operate their Drone cameras, likely due to an artificial disruption.

Publicly reported incidents:

For Studio Monitor journalist Keti Tutberidze, two employees of the criminal police tried to interfere with her work and take away her phone. The incident occurred when the journalist was trying to film the arrest of citizens. “Special forces rushed to Orbeliani Square to arrest two citizens, one of whom is Irakli Tsulaia. “I was filming and two employees of the criminal police rushed at me with a roar, grabbed my hand and tried to take away my phone,” Tutberidze wrote in a post.
A tear gas canister was allegedly fired at the camera crew of TV Pirveli – journalist Irakli Bakhtadze and his cameraman, reportedly hitting the helmet Bakhtadze was wearing. The incident occurred while they were broadcasting live from the Presidential Palace on Orbeliani Square. In the video footage released by the TV company, the sound of tear gas being fired and canisters falling and exploding can be heard. At that time, the protesters had already left the surrounding area. There was no prior warning before the shooting. The journalist and cameraman were not injured.
Radio Liberty journalist Giorgi Diasamidze was physically and verbally assaulted by police. In a video released by the publication, the journalist can be heard explaining to the law enforcement officer that he is a journalist and asking why he is interfering with his work.
Niko Kokaia, a cameraman for TV Pirveli, was injured twice while covering the events at the rally. The first incident, as the TV company reports, occurred on Atoneli Street, near the presidential residence. Kokaia became incapacitated after the Special Tasks Department fired tear gas canisters. He required emergency medical assistance.
The second incident occurred at Orbeliani Square. According to information released by the TV company, the cameraman was allegedly hit in the leg by a gas capsule.
According to information released by the Public Broadcaster, a protester allegedly threw an “unknown liquid” at the news program “Moambe,” injuring journalist Shalva Sumbadze and cameraman Nika Tsirekidze.
According to Mediacheker, documentary photographer, Mariam Giunashvili, suffered burns after allegedly being pepper-sprayed. “They sprayed me [with pepper spray] from three different directions, from the front right in the face and from the sides all over my body. I got particularly bad burns on my hands and arms,” Giunashvili told Mediachecker.
The publications “Project 64”, “Netgazeti” and “Mautskebeli” have lost their aerial cameras. The founder and journalist of “Project 64”, Giorgi Gogua, writes on social networks that the camera was filming near the parliament, when suddenly the camera started flying strangely, and he lost control. “I was only controlling the direction of the camera, but I could not control the trajectory of the drone. The last shot, before the signal was lost, is somewhere from Rustaveli to Mtatsminda. The flight history on the map shows that the drone flew towards the airport.”

According to information disseminated by “Netgazeti”, they lost their drone on Rustaveli Avenue. “Netgazeti’s” drones, as well as those of other media outlets, were allegedly specially shot down on Rustaveli Avenue, where we were trying to film a demonstration,” the publication said in the information.

According to information, the publication “Mautskebeli” also lost its drone. During filming, the drone suddenly malfunctioned, like other media outlets,” a journalist from “Maudereli” told MediaChecker.

Photographer Mariam Giunashvili injured while covering protest on October 4

According to the Charter of Journalistic Ethics, documentary photographer, Mariam Giunashvili, suffered burns after allegedly being pepper-sprayed. “They sprayed me [with pepper spray] from three different directions, from the front right in the face and from the sides all over my body. I got particularly bad burns on my hands and arms,” Giunashvili told Mediachecker.

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.

“Standing on the Sidewalk” and “Blocking the Road” Cases Against RFE/RL Camera Operator

On September 4, 2025, the Ministry of Internal Affairs fined Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) camera operator Zuka Khidasheli 5,000 GEL for “blocking the road.” Khidasheli has appealed the fine.

The MIA initiated a second case against Zuka Khidasheli on December 18, 2025. In this instance, the Ministry also accused him of “standing on the sidewalk.” A judge later dismissed this case.

According to Radio Liberty, in both instances—September 4 and December 18, 2025—Khidasheli was performing his editorial duties as an RFE/RL camera operator, covering protest rallies.

CMIS is providing detailed documentation on information regarding fines issued against journalists from October 26, 2024, to the present.

“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.

A police officer in Gori obstructed journalist Giorgi Akhalkatsi in the course of his journalistic work

On July 29, 2025, Gori police officer Ioseb Gagnidze aggressively confronted journalist Giorgi Akhalkatsi, who was attempting to film ongoing investigative actions in Gori, and obstructed his work.

“Journalists, meet Gori police officer Ioseb Gagnidze, who told us: ‘If you don’t have your badge hanging around your neck, you are not journalists to me. I will interfere with your filming, call you liars, and if necessary, I won’t hesitate to use force,’” the journalist wrote on social media.

According to Giorgi Akhalkatsi, the officer became aggressive after noticing that the investigative actions were being conducted with procedural violations: the area was not cordoned off with protective tape, no lawyer was called, searches were conducted without the presence of outsiders, anyone could move freely in the area, and so on.

Radio Liberty journalist fined for allegedly “artificially blocking the road” while covering the protest rally

Radio Liberty journalist Giorgi Diasamidze was accused and fined for allegedly blocking the road while covering the February 17, 2025 rally. He was notified by the Ministry of Internal Affairs on February 21. The agency explained that he was fined 5,000 GEL for “artificially blocking the road” near the parliament. The journalist appealed the fine, on the basis of which he was informed that the fine had been lifted.

Formula TV Journalist Fined for ‘Artificially Blocking the Road’

Irakli Tabliashvili, journalist and TV host for “Formula,” is accused of “artificially blocking the road” on February 24, 2025. He was fined 5,000 lari. The journalist appealed the fine, but he has not been informed about the review of his case or its outcome.

MIA Accuses Netgazeti Journalist of “Artificially Blocking the Road”

Netgazeti journalist Keti Khutsishvili provided CMIS with information regarding two fines issued against her. The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) fined Khutsishvili a total of 10,000 GEL for “artificially blocking the road”—the first instance occurring on April 2, 2025, and the second on June 13, 2025. The journalist has appealed both fines, which are currently under review.

Keti Khutsishvili was performing her professional duties at the time the fines were issued.

CMIS is documenting cases of journalists who have been fined or administratively detained on the grounds of “artificially blocking the road.”