Detention/Arrest

ზუგდიდში სამოქალაქო აქტივისტი შალვა ესართია დააკავეს

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.

TV Pirveli journalist Giorgi Mamniashvili was detained while carrying out his professional duties

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.

The Azerbaijani journalist, Afghan Sadygov, was sentenced to prison for the second time under the pretext of blocking a road

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.

“MediaChecker” journalist Ninia Kakabadze was arrested while covering a protest rally

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.

TV Formula founder and director Giorgi Liponava arrested for participating in a protest

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.

Writer and host of one of TV Formula’s programs, Zviad Kvaratskhelia, was arrested for participating in a protest

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.

Another employee of TV “Formula,” Nika Pataraia was arrested

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.

Journalist Basti Mgaloblishvili from the online outlet Publika was arrested but released a few hours later

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.

Former Georgian Public Broadcaster journalist Vasil-Ivanov Chikovani was arrested for participating in a protest

On October 21, 2025, journalist Vasil-Ivanov Chikovani was reportedly arrested for participating in a protest. According to media reports, his spouse was also detained. A judge imposed a fine of 5,000 GEL on him.

In the spring of 2025, Vasil-Ivanov Chikovani was dismissed from the Georgian Public Broadcaster due to his critical stance toward the broadcaster and his participation in protests.

New legislative changes introduced by the ruling party, Georgian Dream, have significantly restricted the freedoms of assembly and expression. Citizens and activists are being arrested for taking part in protests. In addition to Vasil-Ivanov Chikovani, Formula TV journalists Vakho Sanaia, Keta Tsitskishvili, and Tsira Zhvania were also detained. On October 22, Lika Basialia-Shavgulidze, a member of the Georgian Public Broadcaster Supervisory Board, was arrested. Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Sadigov was also detained for participating in protests.

The arrests of journalists by Georgian Dream have been widely criticized by both local and international organizations, which view them as an attack on media freedom and freedom of expression.

Journalist Lika Basilaia-Shavgulidze, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Georgian Public Broadcaster, was arrested for participating in a protest

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.