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.
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.
ზუგდიდში დააკავეს სამოქალაქო აქტივისტი შალვა ესართია. დაკავების კადრები ზუგდიდის პროევროპული აქციების მონაწილემ, მარიამ სიჭინავამ გაავრცელა. ვიდეოში ჩანს, რომ რამდენიმე პოლიციელი ესართიას ძალით სვამს მანქანაში, დაკავების საფუძვლის განმარტების გარეშე.
სამოქალაქო ორგანიზაცია – „სამოქალაქო სოლიდარობის ფონდი“, რომელიც ზუგდიდში მუშაობს, 17 მარტის დაკავებასთან დაკავშირებულ გარემოებებზე ავრცელებს ინფორმაციას. ორგანიზაციის ცნობით, 17 მარტს შალვა ესართია ავტომობილით გადაადგილებისას ქვეითისთვის გზის არდათმობის გამოგონილი მიზეზით გააჩერეს. გაჩერებისთანავე შალვა ესართიამ კატეგორიულად უარყო სამართალდარღვევის ფაქტი, ვინაიდან, მისი პოზიციით, წესები არ დაურღვევია და ქვეითის მოძრაობისთვის დაბრკოლება არ შეუქმნია.
შინაგან საქმეთა სამინისტროს ინფორმაციით, ესართია ადმინისტრაციულ სამართალდარღვევათა კოდექსის 173-ე მუხლის საფუძველზე დააკავეს, რაც პოლიციელისადმი დაუმორჩილებლობას გულისხმობს. აღნიშნული მუხლი ითვალისწინებს ჯარიმას 2000-დან 5000 ლარამდე ან ადმინისტრაციულ პატიმრობას 60 დღემდე ვადით.
On November 22, during a protest in Tbilisi, near Ingorokva Street, “TV Pirveli” journalist Giorgi Mamniashvili was detained. According to the television company, the journalist was performing his professional duties at the time of his arrest and was covering the protest. For several hours, the “TV Pirveli” newsroom was unable to get in touch with him.
At the moment of his detention, Mamniashvili was filming the police arresting other protesters on his mobile phone and sending the footage to the newsroom, when officers attempted to seize his phone. Shortly after, they ordered his arrest. In the video recorded by Mamniashvili, he can be heard telling the police that he is a journalist and is carrying out his professional duties.
According to the journalist’s lawyer, after the arrest, Mamniashvili was treated in a degrading and humiliating manner at the Dighomi pre-trial detention facility. Specifically, for several hours, his hands were cuffed behind his back, he was fully stripped, and forced to perform so-called “squats.”
Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Aleksandre Darakhvelidze described the practice of strip-searching detainees upon admission to the detention facility as “a required procedure to document any possible injuries.” Public Defender Levan Ioseliani, however, calls the strip-searching of detainees “degrading and humiliating treatment.”
“The case of Giorgi Mamniashvili is a clear example of the repressive policies of Georgian Dream, aimed at restricting independent media and silencing critical voices,” the Media Advocacy Coalition stated.
On November 12, 2025, Afghan Sadygov, an Azerbaijani journalist residing in Georgia, was sentenced to administrative imprisonment for the second time under the pretext of blocking a road—he will spend 7 days in prison. He is accused of blocking the road on October 19-21, 2025. Afghan Sadygov had already been imprisoned once on the same charge, having been sentenced to 14 days of administrative imprisonment. At that time, the exiled journalist was accused of blocking the road on October 18.
According to the “Social Justice Center,” the organization defending Sadygov’s interests, at the time of Afghan Sadygov’s first detention, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) already knew that the journalist would stand on the roadway during the protest on subsequent days, but did not merge the cases: “This circumstance once again indicates that the MIA intentionally did not appeal to the court regarding the remaining days, so that the court would have the opportunity to apply administrative imprisonment against Afghan Sadygov twice. It is obvious that the MIA is trying to make an example of an activist actively involved in the protests by punishing him through the court.”
Since October 19, 2025, after the “Georgian Dream” parliament adopted another set of repressive changes under an accelerated procedure, 13 media representatives have been detained for participating in, and in some cases covering, the ongoing protest on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi. Administrative imprisonment was applied to most of them.
On November 3, 2025, the police arrested Ninia Kakabadze, a journalist for the Media Platform “Media Checker” of the Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics. That day, the journalist was at the rally with a press identification badge; she was performing her professional duties. Ninia Kakabadze was arrested while returning home. She was taken to the building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Tbilisi. The journalist recounts that for a long time, she was not allowed to call her minor child. The journalist was released a few hours after the arrest. Ninia Kakabadze is accused of artificially blocking the road. The Tbilisi City Court started deliberation on her case on November 4, but postponed the hearing until November 12.
Since October 19, 2025, after the “Georgian Dream” parliament adopted another set of repressive changes through an accelerated procedure, 11 media representatives have been arrested for participating in, and in some cases covering, the ongoing protest on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi. Administrative imprisonment was applied to most of them.
The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics considers the arrest of Ninia Kakabadze and other journalists while performing their professional duties as an attempt to pressure independent media and suppress critical voices. The Charter demands the immediate cessation of administrative proceedings against its media platform “Media Checker’s” journalist, Ninia Kakabadze, and the annulment of the drawn-up administrative offense protocol.
On October 24, 2025, the founder and director of TV Formula, Giorgi Liponava, was arrested for participating in a protest. He was sentenced to three days of administrative detention.
Giorgi Liponava, along with other detained citizens, including media representatives, is accused of blocking the road.
The Georgian Dream party has fast-tracked legislative amendments that significantly restrict freedom of assembly and expression. According to the amendments, administrative detention of up to 15 days, without the option of a fine, is imposed for wearing a mask at a rally, possessing tear gas, or blocking the road. In addition, judges will no longer have the right to impose fines as an administrative penalty in cases of administrative offenses.
The detention of journalists by the Georgian Dream party is a direct attack on freedom of the media and expression. “Under such conditions, the activities of independent media face serious threats, which significantly limits the right to information in a democratic society,” the Media Advocacy Coalition said in a statement.
On October 24, 2025, Zviad Kvaratskhelia, a writer, publisher, and editor-in-chief of Intellect, was arrested for participating in a protest. The court sentenced him to three days of administrative detention.
Zviad Kvaratskhelia, along with other detained citizens, including media representatives, is accused of blocking a road.
The Georgian Dream party has expedited legislative amendments that significantly restrict freedom of assembly and expression. According to the amendments, administrative detention of up to 15 days, without the option of a fine, is imposed for wearing a mask at a rally, possessing tear gas, or blocking a road. In addition, judges will no longer have the right to impose fines as an administrative penalty in cases of administrative offenses.
“The arrest of journalists by Georgian Dream is a direct attack on freedom of the media and expression. Under such conditions, the activities of independent media face serious threats, which significantly restricts the right of a democratic society to be informed,” the Media Advocacy Coalition said in a statement.
