Judge Koba Chagunava of Tbilisi City Court imposed five days of administrative detention on Giga Makarashvili. The case concerns a post published on social media which, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, contained a verbal insult against the Chairperson of the Parliament of Georgia, Shalva Papuashvili.
The case file includes an administrative offence report drawn up by Korneli Kirtskhalia, Senior Officer of Public Order. According to the report, “on 3 April 2026, citizen Giorgi Makarashvili verbally insulted the Chairperson of the Parliament of Georgia, Shalva Papuashvili, through the social network Facebook.”
The court found Makarashvili liable for an administrative offence and imposed five days of administrative detention as a sanction.
Tbilisi City Court imposed four days of administrative detention on Bachana Apkhazava, a participant in the ongoing protest rallies. The decision was delivered by Judge Tornike Kapanadze. The Ministry of Internal Affairs alleged that Apkhazava had obstructed pedestrian movement while standing on the sidewalk in front of Parliament.
The provision under which the administrative offence reports were drawn up provides for administrative detention of up to 15 days as a sanction, and up to 20 days in the case of an organizer. Repeated commission of an offence by a person previously subjected to an administrative sanction under the same provision constitutes a criminal offence and is punishable by imprisonment for up to one year.
Tbilisi City Court issued several decisions in administrative offence cases involving participants in protest rallies. The cases concern the alleged blocking of a sidewalk or the roadway.
Judge Zviad Tsekvava heard the case of Ani Pridonashvili. The Ministry of Internal Affairs alleged that she had blocked the sidewalk on 17 December. The court imposed two days of administrative detention on Pridonashvili.
Nodar Chachanidze, a member of the party “Akhali,” was subjected to three days of administrative detention. The decision was delivered by Judge Tornike Kapanadze. The Ministry of Internal Affairs alleged that Chachanidze had blocked the sidewalk on 18 December.
Tamuna Giorgadze, a participant in the ongoing protest, was subjected to two days of administrative detention. The decision was delivered by Judge Zviad Tsekvava. The Ministry of Internal Affairs alleged that Giorgadze had stood on the sidewalk during the 17 December rally and had blocked the roadway during the Saturday march of 7 February. Both cases were heard jointly.
Judge Tornike Kapanadze delivered a decision in the case of two demonstrators, Nestan Mamatsashvili and Natia Gopodze. The case concerned the alleged “artificial blocking” of a roadway on 31 January, during one of the Saturday marches.
The proceedings against Mamatsashvili and Gopodze were consolidated and heard jointly. The court found both demonstrators liable for an administrative offenceThe court found both demonstrators liable for an administrative offence. Since Mamatsashvili is the mother of minor children, administrative detention could not be imposed on her; instead, the court imposed a fine of GEL 5,000. Natia Gopodze was sentenced to two days of administrative detention.
New cases of administrative detention and the imposition of administrative liability against participants in protest assemblies have been reported in Tbilisi. On 5 May, Tbilisi City Court imposed administrative detention on several civil activists in cases reportedly related to standing on the roadway or near the sidewalk, and to the alleged obstruction of movement.
Judge Koba Chagunava of Tbilisi City Court found activist Data Kashiashvili liable for an administrative offence and imposed four days of administrative detention. Following the hearing, Kashiashvili was taken directly from the courtroom to a temporary detention facility. According to available information, the case file did not include any alleged victim who could confirm that Kashiashvili’s actions had obstructed their movement. Nor was any video evidence presented to substantiate the alleged administrative offence. Nevertheless, the court decided to impose detention.
Civil activist Nino Petriashvili, the mother of a 13-year-old child, was also subjected to two days of administrative detention. The Ministry of Internal Affairs alleged that she had blocked the roadway. According to the Ministry, on 7 February, during one of the Saturday marches, after the march had ended, Petriashvili did not move to the sidewalk in front of Parliament and remained on the roadway for several minutes after 21:00.
During the court hearing, Petriashvili stated that she attends almost every march and, as a rule, moves to the sidewalk when instructed to do so by police. According to her, on 7 February, no clear police instruction was given, which led participants to believe that they were allowed to remain in place. Petriashvili argued that this circumstance explains why a number of people have been held administratively liable in relation to the 7 February episode.
Administrative detention was also imposed on Tamar Tevzadze, an actor and member of the movement “Era.” Tevzadze did not attend the court hearing as a form of protest. Following the announcement of the decision, police detained her on the street and placed her in handcuffs. According to available information, she was subjected to two days of administrative detention in a case also related to standing on or near the sidewalk/roadway.
Tbilisi City Court fined civil activist Tamuna Kirtava 5,000 GEL in relation to the alleged blocking of a road on 31 January, during the “Saturday March”. The decision was delivered by Judge Davit Makaradze.
The case was examined under administrative proceedings. After the representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs learned that Kirtava has an 11-year-old child and that the law did not allow the use of administrative detention against her, the Ministry requested the court to impose a fine.
“[…] The fact that I am sitting here is already an injustice. You may even send me to detention. Your decision does not have decisive importance. I am sitting here because I stood at a protest,” Kirtava told the judge.
Ia Melitauri, an activist participating in the ongoing protest, was fined 2,500 GEL by the court. The decision was delivered by Judge Tornike Kapanadze of Tbilisi City Court. The administrative offence case against Melitauri concerns a social media post that contained obscene language and mentioned the surname “Salukvadze”. According to the position of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the post was directed at police officer Lasha Salukvadze.
The case was examined under Article 173(2) of the Code of Administrative Offences, which concerns verbal insult of a police officer and provides for a fine ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 GEL or administrative detention of up to 60 days.
According to the defence, the case did not establish that the disputed post was published by Ia Melitauri. In addition, the defence lawyer argued that the post referred only to the surname “Salukvadze”, without a first name, status, or other identifying details, and therefore it was not proven that the text was specifically directed at police officer Lasha Salukvadze.
Judge Zviad Tsekvava of the Administrative Chamber of Tbilisi City Court sentenced Beka Lokhishvili to 15 days of administrative detention in relation to posts published on social media concerning police officers.
According to available information, in his social media post, Lokhishvili criticized the conduct of the Patrol Police in relation to issues concerning motorcycles and referred to police officers using obscene and insulting language.
Verbal insult of a police officer constitutes an administrative offence under Article 173(2) of the Code of Administrative Offences, which provides for sanctions in the form of either a fine or administrative detention of up to 60 days. Repeated commission of the same act may constitute grounds for criminal liability.
Judge Tornike Kapanadze of the Tbilisi City Court imposed 2 days of administrative detention each on active participants in protest rallies, Ia Mghibrishvili and Inga Buadze.
Inga Buadze told TV Pirveli that the Ministry of Internal Affairs alleged that she had blocked a roadway on February 7. “After the march, I remained on the road; I felt the need to protest because amendments had been introduced to the law and my friends were being fined and detained for standing on the sidewalk,” she stated.
As for Ia Mghibrishvili, the Ministry of Internal Affairs alleged that, on December 18, she had created an obstruction for pedestrians on the sidewalk. Her lawyer told the media that the hearing had been adjourned at the stage of replies and the substantive examination of the case had not been completed; however, the judge announced the decision before the lawyer was even able to enter the courtroom.
On the same day, in connection with the April 9 protest, Judge Zviad Tsekvava of the Tbilisi City Court imposed 3 days of administrative detention on Gio Chachanidze. The case concerns allegedly creating an obstruction for pedestrians by standing on the sidewalk in front of Parliament.
The Tbilisi Court of Appeal upheld the 8.5-year sentence of Anton Chechin, convicted on drug-related charges. The decision was delivered on April 27 by an appellate panel composed of judges Nino Chakhnashvili, Giorgi Keratishvili, and Paata Silagadze.
Chechin did not exercise his right to a final statement and did not attend the pronouncement of the judgment. At first instance, the judgment against Chechin was delivered by Judge Jvebe Nachkebia.
Chechin was convicted of possession of a particularly large quantity of narcotic substances. He does not admit guilt and claims that the drugs were planted on him due to his participation in protests. He was arrested on December 3, 2024, during ongoing demonstrations.
