Tbilisi City Court imposed one day of administrative detention on Nino Giorganashvili, a participant in the ongoing protest, for standing on the sidewalk. The decision was delivered by Judge Tornike Kapanadze.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs alleged that, on 18 December, Giorganashvili had created an obstruction to pedestrian movement in front of Parliament.
On the same day, Judge Kapanadze also heard the case of Lela Samkharadze. The court found her liable for an administrative offence and issued her a verbal warning. The Ministry of Internal Affairs alleged that, on 7 February, during a protest rally, Samkharadze had blocked the roadway.
Judge Davit Makaradze of Tbilisi City Court fined lawyer Shota Tutberidze GEL 4,000 over the alleged insult of Nino Tsilosani, a Member of Parliament from “Georgian Dream.”
The case concerns a comment left by Shota Tutberidze on Nino Tsilosani’s post of 2 June 2026. The post concerned a visit to Canada. Tutberidze wrote: “Should they insult you there as well, Niniko, or will you just visit the zoo and leave quickly?”
The complaint was not filed by the “Georgian Dream” MP herself. The administrative proceedings were initiated by the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Division for Combating Hate Speech under Article 173¹⁶(1) of the Code of Administrative Offences, which concerns the verbal insult of a political official.
This is the second publicly reported case handled by the new division. On 11 June, it became known that administrative proceedings had been initiated against musician Maia Darsmelidze over a post concerning Nino Jgharkava, a person affiliated with “Georgian Dream.”
The new division within the Ministry of Internal Affairs became operational on 1 June. According to the Ministry, the division’s main task is to identify statements disseminated in the public space that degrade human dignity or are insulting, and that may contain elements of an administrative offence.
Judge Manuchar Tsatsua of Tbilisi City Court found civil activist Marine Zhvania liable for an administrative offence for standing on the sidewalk and issued her a verbal warning.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs alleged that, on 17 December 2025, 69-year-old Marine Zhvania had created an obstruction to pedestrian movement near Parliament. The hearing of the case began in December and was postponed several times. The judge ultimately delivered the decision on 15 June.
Marine Zhvania stated that she had indeed been standing near Parliament and protesting, but had not created any obstruction for passers-by. She did not consider herself liable for an administrative offence.
Musician Maia Darsmelidze wrote on social media that a court hearing had been scheduled in connection with the alleged insult of Nino Jgharkava, a supporter of “Georgian Dream.” According to Darsmelidze, she was notified about the hearing by the Division for Monitoring Public Communication. “Hurray, I cut the ribbon. The scrolling department contacted me. Jgharka filed a complaint against me and they say they have two screenshots,” the musician wrote.
Nino Jgharkava herself stated that she had not formally filed a complaint against Maia Darsmelidze. “I have just received a call from TV Pirveli asking whether I had sued Maia Darsmelidze over a post. The new division has started working and Ms. Darsmelidze has been summoned to court. I did not go anywhere officially and did not write a complaint. I tagged the Ministry of Internal Affairs here, and the response apparently followed promptly,” Jgharkava wrote.
The court hearing in this case is scheduled for 10 July. According to publicly available information, this is the first case pursued by the new division in relation to a comment made in the public space. The new division within the Ministry of Internal Affairs became operational on 1 June. According to the Ministry, the division’s main task is to identify statements disseminated in the public space that are degrading to human dignity or insulting and that may contain elements of an administrative offence.
Judge Tornike Kapanadze of Tbilisi City Court imposed three days of administrative detention on Aleksi (Buka) Petriashvili, former State Minister for European Integration, for standing on the sidewalk. The Ministry of Internal Affairs alleged that, on 17 December, Petriashvili had created an obstruction to pedestrian movement on the sidewalk in front of Parliament.
Before the decision was announced, Petriashvili told the court that the video did not show any indication that anyone’s movement on the sidewalk had been obstructed. According to him, there was sufficient space around him and people were moving freely. Petriashvili also stated that, on 17 December, there had been no instruction from the Ministry of Internal Affairs at the location, and argued that the law in question contradicts the Constitution of Georgia and international standards.On the same day, Judge Kapanadze also heard the case of another protest participant, Sandro Sekhniashvili, and issued him a verbal warning. The Ministry of Internal Affairs alleged that Sekhniashvili had blocked the roadway in front of Parliament on 7 February.
The Tbilisi City Court found several activists liable for administrative offences on charges of blocking the road. The decisions were issued by Judge Koba Chagunava.
Protest participant Rezi Dumbadze was sentenced to 4 days of administrative detention. The Ministry of Internal Affairs charged him with artificially blocking a roadway on January 31.
The same judge imposed 3 days of administrative detention on Zviad Mariamidze. Ana Meburishvili and Natia Tsitsilashvili were issued verbal warnings by the court.
On 16 October 2025, Georgian Dream adopted legislative amendments to the Criminal Code of Georgia and the Code of Administrative Offences of Georgia, which significantly restrict the forms through which demonstrators may express peaceful protest. Under these amendments, Article 174¹ of the Code of Administrative Offences was supplemented with paragraph 10, providing that participants in assemblies and demonstrations shall be subject to mandatory administrative detention for certain acts. These include, inter alia, covering one’s face with a mask or other means, possessing tear gas or similar substances, intentionally creating obstacles to pedestrian or vehicular movement, installing temporary structures, or partially or fully blocking a roadway.
A violation of this provision is punishable by administrative detention for up to 15 days, or up to 20 days in the case of an organizer. The amendments also introduced changes to the Criminal Code of Georgia, providing that the repeated commission of the above-mentioned acts within a one-year period may result in criminal liability.
On April 3, Judge Tornike Kapanadze of the Tbilisi City Court found three civil activists liable for administrative offences in connection with a protest held on a sidewalk. One of them, Abkhaz war participant Zosime Bzhalava, was sentenced to 2 days of administrative detention, while the other two – Naniko Bedineishvili and Vika Dzandzava – received a verbal warning.
According to Bzhalava’s lawyer, Malkhaz Pataraia, Zosime Bzhalava is an internally displaced person from Abkhazia. In his assessment, the court’s decision is unlawful and incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights and the Constitution.
Administrative proceedings against citizens in relation to sidewalk protests commenced following legislative amendments adopted by Georgian Dream on 12 December 2025. The amendments were adopted following accelerated parliamentary consideration over a three-day period. As a result of these amendments, protest activity on sidewalks was, in effect, also prohibited. For a first violation, the legislation provides for administrative detention for a period of up to 15 days (up to 20 days in the case of an organizer), while a repeated violation may result in the imposition of criminal liability. According to the assessment of Transparency International Georgia, “the detention of an individual for standing on a sidewalk, even under administrative procedure, let alone the imposition of criminal punishment cannot withstand any criticism when assessed against the standards of freedom of assembly guaranteed by the Constitution of Georgia and by international human rights instruments.”
At the Tbilisi City Court, three hearings were held in cases related to the alleged obstruction of a roadway and pavement during protest actions near Parliament. In these cases, the court applied different sanctions – one individual was subjected to administrative detention, while two were issued verbal warnings.
Mariam Madzgharashvili was subjected to 2 days of administrative detention by Judge Nino Enukidze. Nika Beridze and Mikheil Nakheuri were issued verbal warnings by Judge Tornike Kapanadze.
Levan Khmiadashvili, an energy specialist and civil activist, was found liable for an administrative offence on the grounds of allegedly blocking a roadway during protest marches; however, Judge Manuchar Tsatsua limited the sanction to a verbal warning. Khmiadashvili was accused of blocking a roadway during protest marches held on 31 January and 7 February. According to his lawyer, despite the court limiting the sanction to a verbal warning, the finding of liability itself remains unsubstantiated.
Khmiadashvili stated that he had expected administrative detention, noting that such a sanction is typically imposed in similar cases. He further stated that protest marches and brief gatherings in front of Parliament should not result in repeated court proceedings or be used as a mechanism of pressure against citizens.
On 16 October 2025, Georgian Dream adopted legislative amendments to the Criminal Code of Georgia and the Code of Administrative Offences of Georgia, which significantly restrict the forms through which demonstrators may express peaceful protest. Under these amendments, Article 174¹ of the Code of Administrative Offences was supplemented with paragraph 10, providing that participants in assemblies and demonstrations shall be subject to mandatory administrative detention for certain acts. These include, inter alia, covering one’s face with a mask or other means, possessing tear gas or similar substances, intentionally creating obstacles to pedestrian or vehicular movement, installing temporary structures, or partially or fully blocking a roadway.
A violation of this provision is punishable by administrative detention for up to 15 days, or up to 20 days in the case of an organizer. The amendments also introduced changes to the Criminal Code of Georgia, providing that the repeated commission of the above-mentioned acts within a one-year period may result in criminal liability.
Activist Megi Diasamidze has been notified to appear before the court in connection with her participation in a protest held on a sidewalk. The Ministry of Internal Affairs alleges that she obstructed pedestrian movement by standing on the sidewalk. According to Diasamidze, as stated on social media, she was contacted by the Tbilisi City Court and informed that the hearing has been scheduled for 31 March.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia accused Megi Diasamidze of obstructing pedestrian movement on the sidewalk in front of Parliament on 18 December at approximately 21:58. On 31 March, a judge of the Tbilisi City Court, Davit Makaridze, subjected Diasamidze to 2 days of administrative detention. A video has been circulated on social media showing Diasamidze calling the emergency number 112 Emergency Service Georgia herself, stating: “I was sentenced to two days for standing on the sidewalk. I want to call the police to come and take me, as is usually done…”Megi Diasamidze, a 23-year-old activist, was previously detained on 10 September 2025 near Lanchkhuti while travelling from Tbilisi to Batumi. The investigation alleged that she inscribed the phrase “Russian Dream” on an election campaign banner belonging to Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze’s campaign headquarters. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, the value of the damaged banners amounted to GEL 380. It is noted that the inscription was removed by the municipal cleaning service within approximately three minutes. The Tbilisi City Court released Diasamidze on bail in the amount of GEL 2,000. Her lawyer indicated that her rights were violated at the time of detention, stating that she had not been informed of the reasons for her arrest and had not been allowed to contact a lawyer or her family for a certain period of time. If convicted, Diasamidze faces up to five years of imprisonment under charges related to damage to property.
