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Incident type: Criminal Prosecution or Initiation of Investigation

Incidents Recorded Against Civil Activists – September 2025

Context

The incidents documented in September 2025 indicate a further intensification of repressive practices against civil activists and individuals associated with the protest movement. During the reporting period, the use of imprisonment and criminal prosecution against participants in pro-European protests was particularly notable, including the imposition of multi-year prison sentences on individuals accused of participating in group actions, drug-related offences, and other criminal offences. In numerous cases, the accused stated that the criminal proceedings were linked to their participation in the protests. 

The documented cases also included administrative arrests, the imposition of financial sanctions, incidents of physical violence and intimidation, including group attacks against activists and threatening incidents. Certain episodes also revealed restrictions on the freedoms of assembly and expression, where law enforcement officers prevented demonstrators from exercising their right to protest or used force against them. 

At the same time, investigative actions against non-governmental organisations and their representatives continued within the framework of the so-called “Masks Case”, targeting activities related to supporting civil society. 

Incidents

On 2 September 2025, Judge Jvebe Nachkebia of the Tbilisi City Court sentenced Anton Chechin, who had been detained during the pro-European protests on drug-related charges, to 8 years and 6 months’ imprisonment. Chechin had been charged with the possession of a particularly large quantity of narcotic substances. He denies the charges and claims that the narcotics were planted on him because of his participation in the protests. He was arrested on 3 December. According to Chechin, his arrest had been preceded by an incident on 18 November, when he was taken from a protest to a police station and threatened with consequences if he continued participating in demonstrations. 

On 2 September 2025, during a protest held on Rustaveli Avenue outside the Parliament building, where demonstrators were protesting statements made by Tea Tsulukiani within the framework of the Georgian Dream parliamentary investigative commission, the Ministry of Internal Affairs administratively detained 23 individuals. Protesters attempted to block the roadway, but law enforcement officers prevented them from doing so and forcibly detained several individuals on the pavement. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, those detained had failed to comply with lawful police orders. 

On 3 September 2025, Judge Tamar Mchedlishvili of the Tbilisi City Court reclassified the charges against all eight defendants detained in connection with the pro-European protests and found them guilty under Article 226 of the Criminal Code, which concerns the organisation of or participation in group actions. 

Three of them—Zviad Tsetskhladze, Vefkhia Kasradze, and Vasil Kadzelashvili—were sentenced to 2 years and 6 months’ imprisonment. The prosecution had originally charged all three under Article 225(1) of the Criminal Code with organising group violence. 

The remaining five defendants—Irakli Miminoshvili, Giorgi Gorgadze, Tornike Goshadze, Insaf Aliyev, and Nikoloz Javakhishvili—were each sentenced to 2 years’ imprisonment. They had originally been charged under Article 225(2)of the Criminal Code with participation in organised group violence. 

On 3 September 2025, Judge Nino Galustashvili of the Tbilisi City Court sentenced all eleven defendants detained in connection with the pro-European protests—Revaz Kiknadze, Valeri Tetriashvili, Giorgi Terishvili, Andro Chichinadze, Onise Tskhadadze, Ruslan Sivakov, Irakli Kerashvili, Luka Jabuia, Jano Archaia, Sergei Kukharchuk, and Guri Mirtskhulava—to 2 years’ imprisonment each. 

The prosecution had charged all eleven under Article 225(2) of the Criminal Code with participation in organised group violence. As in the case of the previous eight defendants, Judge Galustashvili reclassified the charges and found them guilty under Article 226 of the Criminal Code, concerning the organisation of or participation in group actions. 

On 3 September 2025, Judge Jvebe Nachkebia of the Tbilisi City Court sentenced Saba Skhvitaridze, who had been detained during the pro-European protests, to 2 years’ imprisonment. Initially, the prosecution accused him of assaulting police officer Mirian Kavtaradze. However, on 24 July, the Prosecutor’s Office reclassified the charge to intentional minor bodily injury under Article 120(1) of the Criminal Code. 

On 3 September 2025, activist Mariam Meqantsishvili was assaulted by Beka Gotsiridze, a supporter of Georgian Dream. According to Meqantsishvili, while she was on Melikishvili Avenue, where a protest march coincided with the opening of Kakha Kaladze’s election headquarters, Gotsiridze threw a cigarette butt at her and struck her. 

On 4 September 2025, the Tbilisi City Court sentenced activist Albi Kordzaia to 12 days of administrative detention. The case concerned his detention during the 2 September protest outside Parliament, where demonstrators protested statements made by Tea Tsulukiani before the Georgian Dream parliamentary commission. 

On 4 September 2025, the Tbilisi City Court examined the administrative cases of individuals detained during the 2 September protest on Rustaveli Avenue. Activists Luka Devdariani, Nika Kordzadze, and Davit Gunashvili were each fined GEL 5,000. (The source text incorrectly states “2024”; this appears to be a typographical error, as the case concerns the events of 2 September 2025.)

On 8 September 2025, supporters of Georgian Dream physically attacked demonstrators gathered outside Kakha Kaladze’s election headquarters. Video footage published by media outlets shows activists being assaulted. The confrontations continued intermittently for several hours. According to participants, despite being present at the scene, the police failed to effectively prevent the attacks, even though, according to activists, some of the perpetrators could have been identified. The Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that an investigation had been launched into group violence. 

On 10 September 2025, Megi Diasamidze was arrested on charges of damaging one of Kakha Kaladze’s election banners. The 23-year-old activist was detained under Article 187 of the Criminal Code, which criminalises the destruction or damage of another person’s property. The offence is punishable by a fine, community service, house arrest for a period of six months to two years, or imprisonment for one to five years. On 12 September, Judge Davit Kurtanidze imposed bail of GEL 2,000 as a preventive measure, and Diasamidze was released from the courtroom. 

On 12 September 2025, Judge Nino Galustashvili of the Tbilisi City Court sentenced Anastasia Zinovkina and Artem Gribul, who had been detained during the pro-European protests on drug-related charges, to 8 years and 6 months’ imprisonment each. Zinovkina and Gribul were arrested on 17 December and charged with possession of a particularly large quantity of narcotic substances. Both deny the charges and state that the narcotics were planted on them during personal and residential searches because of their participation in the protests. Both had previously participated in demonstrations against Vladimir Putin in Russia. 

On 12 September 2025, public servant Tako Kavkasidze stated that she had been dismissed on political grounds. According to Kavkasidze, she had publicly distanced herself from Georgian Dream’s decision to suspend the country’s European integration process by signing a public petition. She further stated that another signatory of the same pro-European petition had also been dismissed from public service. 

On 15 September 2025, participants in a protest march travelling from the building of the Public Broadcaster to the intersection of Rustaveli Avenue and Besiki Street were verbally and physically confronted by several individuals. According to activists, one of the attackers was allegedly carrying a firearm and a knife. The Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that, following the incident, an individual born in 2009 was arrested on charges of the illegal acquisition, possession, and carrying of firearms and ammunition. 

On 23 September 2025, according to Mariam Nikuradze, Director and photojournalist of OC MEDIA, demonstrators participating in the so-called “zebra crossing protests” near the Atoneli Residence in Tbilisi were deliberately struck by a vehicle. 

Nikuradze stated that activist Mariam Meqantsishvili lost consciousness twice and was transported by ambulance. A second injured person, Lizi Ubilava, was also taken to hospital. According to the police, the incident had been referred to the competent authority, although it remained unclear whether a criminal investigation had been formally initiated. 

On 29 September 2025, activist Gela Khasaia, a member of Girchi – More Freedom, was arrested. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, he was detained on charges of intentional minor bodily injury, and the investigation was being conducted under Article 120 of the Criminal Code. According to his lawyer, the case concerns a conflict that occurred on 1 September at Station Square involving individuals unknown to Khasaia. The lawyer further stated that while Khasaia was held at the police station, he was subjected to verbal abuse and psychological pressure. According to counsel, one police officer reminded him of an earlier incident in which the officer had threatened that Khasaia would eventually be arrested under criminal law. 

The so-called “Masks Case”

Within the framework of the so-called “Masks Case”, the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia summoned several representatives of civil society for questioning before a magistrate judge. On 4 September, Giorgi Mshvenieradze, Chair of the organisation Guardians of Democracy, was questioned before the Tbilisi City Court. According to him, the Prosecutor’s questions concerned his individual Facebook posts, the organisation’s financial documentation, and the organisation of the 2024 protest demonstrations. 

On 8 September, Levan Natroshvili, Executive Director of the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED), was questioned in connection with the same case. 

On 17 September, Eka Gigauri, Executive Director of Transparency International Georgia, and Lela Tsiskarishvili, Chair of the Tbilisi Human Rights House and Director of the Georgian Centre for Psychosocial and Medical Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (GCRT), were questioned before a magistrate judge. According to their statements, the questioning focused on activities related to the protest movement, including support provided to protesters, payment of administrative fines, legal assistance, and the procurement of various types of equipment and supplies. 

The so-called “Masks Case” stems from a criminal investigation launched by the Prosecutor’s Office on 8 February 2025, conducted under Articles 318(1), 19 in conjunction with Article 318(2), Article 319, and Article 321¹(2)(a) of the Criminal Code of Georgia. 

Within the framework of the investigation, on 7 August, the Prosecutor’s Office froze the bank accounts of seven non-governmental organisations: the Civil Society Foundation, ISFED, IDFI, GDI, Guardians of Democracy, Sapari, and the Social Justice Center. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, the organisations’ designated funds had been used to purchase equipment such as gas masks, protective goggles, face masks, face coverings, pepper spray, and other items allegedly used by protesters during violent confrontations with the police. The Prosecutor’s Office also treated the provision of legal assistance to detained and fined protesters as part of the alleged criminal conduct.

Documented Incidents Against Civil Activists – October 2025

Context

The incidents documented in October 2025 indicate a further intensification of repressive practices related to protest activities. Within the framework of the present monitoring, 18 documented incidents demonstrate that both administrative and criminal prosecution of protest participants actively continued throughout the month. Courts imposed administrative detention on numerous individuals, while the Ministry of Internal Affairs launched mass detentions on the grounds of road obstruction and covering one’s face. 

During the same period, Georgian Dream adopted legislative amendments that significantly tightened restrictions related to the freedoms of assembly and expression. In parallel, a case of a physical attack against activists was also documented. 

Incidents

On 1 October 2025, Judge Nana Shamatava of the Tbilisi City Court granted the Prosecutor’s Office’s motion and imposed pre-trial detention as a preventive measure on Gela Khasaia, an activist of the Coalition for Change. Khasaia was charged under Article 118(2) of the Criminal Code (intentional less serious bodily injury committed by a group), which provides for a prison sentence of between four and six years. 

The activist had been arrested by representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs on 29 September. According to his lawyer, the case concerns a conflict that occurred on 1 September near Station Square, involving individuals unknown to Gela Khasaia, which he merely witnessed. Lawyer Omar Purtseladze stated that while Khasaia was held at the police station, he was subjected to verbal abuse and psychological pressure. According to Purtseladze, one police officer reminded Khasaia of an earlier incident in which the officer had promised that Khasaia would be “arrested under criminal law.” 

On 3 October 2025, students who had gathered on Metekhi Bridge to make a public statement were attacked by unidentified individuals and physically assaulted. Igor Narmania, Chairperson of the United National Movement’s Youth Organisation, was injured. The attackers also physically assaulted a minor activist, who was reportedly struck on the head with a piece of metal. 

On 9 October 2025, Judge Giorgi Gelashvili of the Tbilisi City Court sentenced poet Zviad Ratiani to two years’ imprisonment. The Prosecutor’s Office had charged the poet under Article 353¹ of the Criminal Code for attacking a police officer; however, the judge reclassified the charge under Article 353(1) of the Criminal Code, which criminalises resistance against a police officer with the purpose of obstructing, terminating, or altering the officer’s activities in maintaining public order. Zviad Ratiani had been arrested on 23 June 2025 after slapping police officer Teimuraz Meshvelashvili outside the Parliament building in Tbilisi. 

On 16 October 2025, Georgian Dream adopted, at third reading, amendments to the Criminal Code and the Code of Administrative Offences that restrict the forms of protest available to demonstrators. Under the expedited legislative package, a new paragraph 10 was added to Article 174¹ of the Code of Administrative Offences, introducing mandatory administrative detention for participants in assemblies or demonstrations who commit any of the following acts: 

  • covering one’s face with a mask or by any other means;
  • possessing tear gas, nerve agents and/or poisonous substances;
  • intentionally creating obstacles to the movement of people or vehicles;
  • erecting temporary structures where such structures obstruct police efforts to maintain public order and safety;
  • partially or fully blocking the carriageway where, considering the number of participants, the assembly could otherwise be conducted without doing so.

Violation of these provisions is punishable by:

  • administrative detention for up to 15 days;
  • where the offender is an organiser, administrative detention for up to 20 days.

The amendments also introduced mandatory administrative detention of up to 60 days where participants:

  • possess firearms, explosives, flammable materials, radioactive substances, cold weapons, or pyrotechnic items;
  • possess objects or substances that are used or could be used to cause harm to the life or health of participants or other persons;
  • participate in an assembly or demonstration that has been terminated upon the request of the Ministry of Internal Affairs under Article 13(1) of the Law on Assemblies and Demonstrations. 

The amendments to the Criminal Code further provide that repeated commission of the above-mentioned acts within one year will constitute a criminal offence punishable by:

  • imprisonment for up to one year;
  • imprisonment for up to two years if committed repeatedly;
  • for minors, a fine, corrective labour, or imprisonment for up to one year;
  • where committed by an organiser and resulting in serious consequences, imprisonment for up to four years. 

The amendments further provide that a third violation of Article 173 of the Code of Administrative Offences (failure to comply with or insulting a police officer) constitutes a criminal offence punishable by:

  • imprisonment for up to one year for a third offence;
  • imprisonment for up to two years if committed repeatedly;
  • for minors, a fine, corrective labour, or imprisonment for up to one year. 

On 16 October 2025, Georgian Dream, under the expedited procedure, adopted at third reading a legislative package providing for restrictions on the right of certain individuals to engage in party activities, hold political office, and participate in elections. Under the legislative package, upon the request of the claimant in proceedings before the Constitutional Court, the Constitutional Court may prohibit a person affiliated with a banned political party from: 

  • establishing a political party;
  • membership in a political party;
  • membership in the governing body of a political party;
  • holding a party position;
  • standing as a candidate in elections (passive electoral right);
  • acquiring the mandate of an elected representative or elected public official;
  • holding political office;
  • heading a constitutional body.

Where requested by the claimant, granting the constitutional claim will also result in:

  • termination of the mandate of a Member of Parliament elected through the nomination of the banned political party;
  • termination of the mandate of a member of another representative body;
  • removal of a person from a party list.

Registration shall be refused to any political party whose electoral list includes a person prohibited from engaging in party activities or holding political office. A political party that includes such a person on its list shall be subject to a fine.

Likewise, it will be prohibited to include such persons on party lists for parliamentary or local self-government elections. The Central Election Commission will refuse to register such parties for either parliamentary or local elections. 

On 17 October 2025, Judge Davit Mamiseishvili of the Tbilisi Court of Appeal reclassified the charge against Giorgi Kuchuashvili from assault on a police officer under Article 353¹ of the Criminal Code to resistance to a police officer under Article 353 of the Criminal Code and sentenced him to two years’ imprisonment. Kuchuashvili had been arrested during protests against the so-called “Russian Law” in May 2024. On 4 February 2025, he had been sentenced to four years’ imprisonment. Following the appellate judgment reducing his sentence to two years, he was released from prison on 26 May. 

On 19 October 2025, the Ministry of Internal Affairs administratively detained 12 participants in the protest held on Rustaveli Avenue on 18 October. Those detained were: Lara Nachkebia, Nino Svanidze, Levan Margiani, Giorgi Qiasashvili, Davit Gogichaishvili, Saba Khomeriki, Levan Jobava, Tornike Tkhilava, Gela Gamqrelidze, Vakhtang Machavariani, Lasha Chkhartishvili, and Mamuka Kupreishvili. The wave of detentions followed the legislative amendments adopted by Georgian Dream on 16 October to the Criminal Code and the Code of Administrative Offences, which significantly restricted the forms of protest available to citizens. 

Proceedings concerning the 12 detainees were held before the Tbilisi City Court on 20 October. The Ministry of Internal Affairs accused some of the detainees of “artificially blocking the roadway,” while others were charged with covering their faces during the protest. 

Seven of the twelve detainees were sentenced to administrative detention:

  • activist Lara Nachkebia – 4 days (covering the face with a mask);
  • activist Nino Svanidze – 5 days (blocking the roadway);
  • painter Levan Margiani – 6 days (blocking the roadway);
  • activist Giorgi Qiasashvili – 6 days (blocking the roadway);
  • activist Davit Gogichaishvili – 6 days (covering the face with a mask);
  • activist Saba Khomeriki – 8 days (blocking the roadway);
  • activist Levan Jobava – 14 days (blocking the roadway). 

On 20 October 2025, representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs detained four participants in the ongoing protest on Rustaveli Avenue: Nino Beruashvili, Saba Japaridze, Tamar Totladze, and Temo Saralidze. Proceedings concerning the detainees were held before the Tbilisi City Court on the same day. The Ministry accused two of them of artificially blocking the roadway and the other two of covering their faces during the protest. 

The court imposed administrative detention on all four detainees:

  • activist Nino Beruashvili – 4 days (blocking the roadway);
  • actor Saba Japaridze – 6 days (covering the face during the protest);
  • activist Tamar Totladze – 6 days (blocking the roadway);
  • activist Temo Saralidze – 6 days (covering the face during the protest). 

On 21 October 2025, the Ministry of Internal Affairs began detaining participants in the Rustaveli Avenue protest from the early morning. During the day, law enforcement officers detained five additional activists: Beka Kurkhuli, Kakha Mikaia, Konstantine Mikaia, Boris Kutsia, and Imeda Kldiashvili. All of them were accused either of covering their faces during the protest or of “artificially blocking the roadway.” The Tbilisi City Court imposed administrative detention on all five activists for violating the newly introduced protest-related regulations. 

Specifically:

  • Beka Kurkhuli – 8 days of administrative detention;
  • Kakha Mikaia – 14 days of administrative detention;
  • Konstantine Mikaia – 14 days of administrative detention;
  • Imeda Kldiashvili – 9 days of administrative detention.

On 22 October 2025, the Ministry of Internal Affairs issued a statement. According to the Ministry, during the previous three days, after the new law restricting freedom of expression entered into force, police detained 53 individuals, more than 40 of whom had already been found to have committed administrative offences. Within the framework of the present monitoring, 22 cases were documented. In addition, between 19 and 21 October, the Ministry of Internal Affairs detained three journalists together with activists. Based on the data published by the Ministry, it was not possible to identify an additional 28 detained persons.

On 22 October 2025, during a protest on Rustaveli Avenue, the Ministry of Internal Affairs administratively detained up to 20 citizens. The wave of detentions followed the amendments adopted by Georgian Dream on 16 October to the Criminal Code and the Code of Administrative Offences, which significantly restricted the forms of protest available to citizens. The Ministry of Internal Affairs began administrative detentions at the Rustaveli protest on 18 October on the grounds of unlawful blocking of the roadway and covering one’s face.

On 22 October 2025, 48-year-old Tamar Lortkipanidze was arrested during the ongoing protest on Rustaveli Avenue for climbing onto a patrol police vehicle.

Footage circulated by citizens shows Tamar, together with several other protest participants, first sitting on the roadway, then standing up, spreading her arms, and attempting to stop the movement of vehicles. Approximately two minutes later, a patrol police vehicle appears in the footage from Freedom Square. Tamar then stands several metres in front of the police vehicle and spreads her arms. A few seconds later, she runs towards the patrol vehicle, climbs onto it, and stands on its roof. Shortly afterwards, Tamar Lortkipanidze climbs down from the vehicle on her own and again stands on the roadway with her arms spread. For this act, the Ministry of Internal Affairs initially accused her of an offence under Article 239 of the Criminal Code. However, on 24 October, the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia aggravated the charge and now accuses the activist of violence and attacking a police vehicle.

Tamar Lortkipanidze is charged with:

  • violence causing physical pain to the victim, under Article 126(1) of the Criminal Code of Georgia;
  • attacking a police vehicle in connection with the official activities of a police officer, an offence under Article 353¹(1) of the Criminal Code.

If convicted, she faces four to seven years’ imprisonment. As for the preventive measure, on 25 October Judge Nana Shamatava imposed pre-trial detention on Tamar Lortkipanidze.

On 22 October 2025, disability rights advocate Gia Jvarsheishvili was detained during the protest on Rustaveli Avenue. On 24 October, Judge Zviad Tsekvava of the Tbilisi City Court sentenced the detained activist to 10 days of administrative detention. The Ministry of Internal Affairs accused him of petty hooliganism and failure to comply with a lawful order of a police officer. 

On 22 October 2025, during the protest on Rustaveli Avenue, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) administratively detained approximately 20 individuals. The wave of detentions followed the amendments to the Criminal Code and the Code of Administrative Offences adopted by Georgian Dream on 16 October, which significantly restricted the forms of protest available to citizens. The MIA began administratively detaining participants in the Rustaveli Avenue protests on 18 October on the grounds of unlawfully blocking the roadway and covering their faces.

On 24 October 2025, police detained several activists for participating in the protest held on Rustaveli Avenue on 23 October and for blocking the avenue. Those detained included:

  • Bacho Kimutsadze – member of the Coalition for Change;
  • Natia Letodiani – member of the Droa party;
  • Davit Mshvenieradze – law student at Ilia State University (sentenced to 6 days of administrative detention);
  • Nino Laghidze – environmental education specialist;
  • Zura Tsetskhladze – father of prisoner of conscience Zviad Tsetskhladze;
  • Tengo Kirtadze – member of the Federalists party;
  • Anuka Gamsakhurdia – civil activist;
  • Dani Maghradze – civil activist;
  • Zviad Kvaratskhelia – writer, publisher, and television presenter;
  • Giorgi Liponava – film director and co-founder of Formula TV;
  • Achi Gochitashvili – student (sentenced to 10 days of administrative detention);
  • Vaso Beridze – student;
  • Natia Gogava – civil activist;
  • Natalia Slepakova – civil activist;
  • Davit Chkadua – winner of the second student season of the television programme Book Shelf;
  • Giorgi Melitauri (sentenced to 10 days of administrative detention). 

On 29 October 2025, Judge Tamar Mchedlishvili of the Tbilisi City Court replaced the preventive measure imposed on teacher Nino Datashvili from pre-trial detention to bail in the amount of GEL 5,000. Datashvili had been charged under Article 353²(3) of the Criminal Code of Georgia (assault on a public official/court bailiff in the course of performing official duties). Following the decision, the teacher and activist was released from the penitentiary institution. She was given 30 days to pay the bail.

The Prosecutor’s Office announced its motion to replace the preventive measure only a few minutes before the hearing commenced. Datashvili’s lawyers had also requested the replacement of pre-trial detention, arguing that her health had deteriorated significantly while in detention and that she urgently required spinal and cervical surgery. Due to her deteriorating health condition, Datashvili was unable to attend the hearing in person and participated remotely. 

On 29 October 2025, Judge Lela Tsagareishvili sentenced researcher Shalva Koghuashvili to six days of administrative detention. The Ministry of Internal Affairs accused him of an administrative offence under Article 174¹ of the Code of Administrative Offences for artificially blocking the roadway during the protest on 27 October. 

Between 27 and 31 October 2025, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, 29 citizens were detained during protests on Rustaveli Avenue over a five-day period. The Ministry accused them of unlawfully blocking Rustaveli Avenue, conduct which, under the legislative package adopted at third reading on 16 October, is punishable by mandatory administrative detention without the possibility of a fine.

Documented Incidents Against Civil Activists – October 2024

Context

The incidents documented in October 2024 indicate the continuation of pressure against individuals engaged in civic activism and the expression of critical opinions. During the reporting period, both physical attacks and the use of investigative and administrative mechanisms were documented, affecting researchers, representatives of civil society, and individuals affiliated with international organisations.

Particular attention during October was drawn to measures taken against researchers and representatives of analytical organisations, including searches and restrictions on access to bank accounts. A number of domestic and international actors assessed these measures as a form of pressure against civil society and critical research activities.

During the same period, the Constitutional Court’s decision not to suspend the operation of the so-called “Russian Law” further intensified concerns regarding its potential impact on civic space and the activities of independent organisations in the country.

Incidents

On 10 October 2024, the Plenum of the Constitutional Court of Georgia decided not to suspend the operation of the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence, commonly referred to as the “Russian Law,” pending the Court’s final judgment. Despite the applicants’ request, the Court did not grant the motion to suspend the contested provisions. However, it declared the constitutional complaints partially admissible for examination on the merits. The decision adopted by the Plenum of the Constitutional Court was published on the Court’s official website.

On 19 October 2024, Badri Oqujava, a researcher at SovLab, was attacked by a group of individuals at the intersection of Barnovi and Machavariani Streets. According to Oqujava, approximately ten individuals attacked him while he was on his way to work. Women were also among the perpetrators. The researcher believes that the attack was premeditated and politically motivated. According to his account, the attackers repeatedly struck him in the back and then poured paint over him.

Between 24 and 29 October 2024, investigators from the Investigation Service of the Ministry of Finance conducted searches at the homes of Eto Buziashvili and Sopho Gelava, two employees of the U.S.-based organisation the Atlantic Council. Computer equipment was seized from their homes. Investigators from the Financial Police Investigation Service also searched the residence of brothers Onise and Sandro Tskhadadze. According to members of Onise Tskhadadze’s family, investigators stated that the reason for the search was his employment with an international company.

On 29 October, pursuant to a court order, the bank accounts of Sopho Gelava and Eto Buziashvili were frozen. According to the Financial Police, the court authorised this measure within the framework of the so-called “call centre case.” As a result, both researchers working on Russian disinformation were denied access to their personal bank accounts. The U.S. Helsinki Commission also commented on the case, describing the freezing of the bank accounts as an attempt to exert pressure on Georgia’s civil society and the Atlantic Council.

Documented Incidents Against Civil Activists – March 2025

Context

The incidents documented in March 2025 demonstrate that the practice of exerting pressure on civil activists continues to maintain a systemic character and manifests itself in various forms. The incidents recorded during the reporting period reflect administrative detentions, incidents of physical violence, the active use of financial sanctions, as well as the use of criminal law mechanisms, including restrictions imposed on the financial activities of organisations associated with activists.

A significant portion of the documented cases is linked to citizens’ participation in protest demonstrations and the expression of public opinions. Particularly notable are the scale and intensity of financial sanctions. In many cases, fines were imposed on allegations of blocking roadways and, in a number of instances, were based on disputed or insufficient evidence. At the same time, cases were documented in which the actions of law enforcement authorities and judicial decisions failed to take into account the circumstances presented by the defence.

Particular attention should be paid to the freezing of the accounts of charitable foundations supporting activists and the protest movement during the reporting period. This indicates that the practice of pressure extends not only to individual activists but also to organisations providing support to individuals whose rights have allegedly been violated. Taken together, these trends significantly restrict civic space and seriously undermine the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly.

Incidents

On 3 March 2025, musician and civil activist Davit (Tornado) Gabunia was physically assaulted and verbally abused in the street. According to information circulated on social media, Gabunia was attacked by Mikha Meskhi, the husband of singer Sopho Bedia. Mikha Meskhi subsequently confirmed this information in a comment posted under a Facebook post published by another user.

On 5 March 2025, Barbara Rokita and Kristine Pirveli, founders of “Crab Coffee” and civil activists, were verbally abused and then physically assaulted by a young man near their residence late at night. As a result of the attack, Barbara sustained a broken nose and required surgery. Since the protests of 28 November 2024, the founders of Crab Coffee had been providing coffee and tea free of charge to participants in pro-European demonstrations. The activists believe that the attack was motivated by their active involvement in the pro-European protest movement.

On 7 March 2025, the Patrol Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs detained members of “Strong Georgia” – Beka Beridzishvili, Juba Loladze and Oto Parulava. One of the party’s leaders, Irakli Kupradze, was also present with them. Video footage of the incident shows that members of Strong Georgia were returning home from a protest on Rustaveli Avenue when they were stopped by patrol police officers. Irakli Kupradze asked the officers to explain the reason for the stop, at which point he was forcibly placed into a police vehicle and detained.

On 11 March 2025, Judge Mariana Pomaeva of the Batumi City Court imposed fines of GEL 5,000 each on 18 participants in pro-European demonstrations. The Ministry of Internal Affairs accused the activists, under Article 174(4) of the Code of Administrative Offences, of “artificially creating a barrier through intensive movement” on a pedestrian crossing. Those fined included Diana Bolkvadze, Tamar Surmanidze, Badri Kochalidze, Archil Beridze, Natia Letodiani, Davit Robakidze, Manuchar Khozrevanidze, Keti Paksadze, Mariam Saginadze, Nugzar Tapladze, Tatia Abuladze, Linda Tsintsadze, Archil Shotadze, Giorgi Chkhaidze, Elizbar Chkhikvadze, Gocha Surguladze and Ana Vacheishvili.

On 12 March 2025, Judge Aleksandre Goguadze of the Batumi City Court fined participants in pro-European demonstrations – actor Malkhaz Iremadze, Mariam Gogolishvili, Mari Tsetskhladze and Niko Mirtskhulava – GEL 5,000 each for an act provided for under Article 174(4) of the Code of Administrative Offences. The activists were accused of “artificially creating a barrier through intensive movement” on a pedestrian crossing in Batumi during the night of 31 January.

On 12 March 2025, Judge Jumber Bejanidze of the Batumi City Court fined civil activist Gubaz Lamparadze GEL 5,000 in the so-called “zebra crossing movement case”. The Ministry of Internal Affairs accused the activist, under Article 174(4) of the Code of Administrative Offences, of “artificially creating a barrier through intensive movement” on a pedestrian crossing.

On 17 March 2025, at the request of the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia, the Tbilisi City Court ordered the freezing of the bank accounts of charitable foundations that had assisted citizens who had been allegedly unlawfully fined for participating in pro-European demonstrations by helping them pay fines and by providing financial assistance to so-called “prisoners of conscience” and their families.

The following organisations were affected by the freezing order:

  • Charitable Foundation “Nanuka’s Fund”;
  • Charitable Foundation “Prosperity”;
  • Charitable Foundation “Fund for Each Other 24/7”;
  • Non-Governmental Organisation “Tbilisi Human Rights House”;
  • Non-Governmental Organisation “Shame”.

According to a statement issued by the Prosecutor’s Office, the foundations were frozen within the framework of an investigation initiated on the basis of an application submitted by “United Neutral Georgia”, a satellite organisation affiliated with Georgian Dream. The freezing order was authorised by Judge Mzia Garshaulishvili, who was appointed to the Criminal Chamber of the Tbilisi City Court in December 2024.

On 18 March 2025, the Tbilisi City Court rejected the request of Temur Katamadze, the flag-bearer of the Batumi protests, to be granted refugee status, as well as humanitarian or subsidiary protection status, during a hearing held on 18 March.

On 19 March 2025, the family of prisoner of conscience Zviad Tsetskhladze was fined for the ninth time. Tsetskhladze’s mother, Nargizi Davitadze, stated on TV Pirveli that the Ministry of Internal Affairs accused her of “artificially blocking the roadway” under Article 174¹ of the Code of Administrative Offences. According to Davitadze, there had been several occasions when they had not even been present on Rustaveli Avenue, yet financial sanctions had nevertheless been imposed on them by the Ministry.

On 19 March 2025, Marizi Kobakhidze, the mother of prisoner of conscience Tornike Goshadze, was fined GEL 5,000 by Judge Manuchar Tsatsua. The Ministry of Internal Affairs accused her of artificially blocking the roadway on Rustaveli Avenue on 23 January under Article 174¹ of the Code of Administrative Offences. It is noteworthy, however, that Rustaveli Avenue had become blocked naturally due to the large number of people present.

On 19 March 2025, Judge Koba Chagunava fined tour guide Aleksandre Giorgadze GEL 5,000. The Ministry of Internal Affairs accused the active protest participant of blocking a roadway on 3 January under Article 174¹ of the Code of Administrative Offences. However, during the hearing, the Ministry failed to present any evidence substantiating the allegation.

On 19 March 2025, Judge Koba Chagunava found actor Sandro Samkharadze liable for an administrative offence and issued him an oral warning. The Ministry of Internal Affairs accused him of carrying a prohibited item during a protest held on 25 November 2024.

On 21 March 2025, during a protest on Rustaveli Avenue, police detained three activists – Tako Gvilia, Tatia Apriamashvili and Luka Gogia. Police began detaining activists outside Parliament after citizens had brought plastic chairs for young demonstrators standing in heavy rain, but representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs confiscated the chairs. Tako Gvilia told TV Pirveli that she was initially discussing the issue of the chairs with police officers when she was suddenly seized and forcibly placed in a detention vehicle together with Tatia Apriamashvili. Notably, Luka Gogia, a student at Ilia State University, was detained after applauding the police following the detention of the two women. Tatia Apriamashvili and Tako Gvilia were later released on the basis of a written undertaking, while Luka Gogia was released from a temporary detention facility on 22 March.

On 21 March 2025, the court fined Tsotne Koberidze, a member of the Coalition for Change, GEL 2,000. According to the political party Girchi – More Freedom, Georgian Dream accused Tsotne Koberidze of obstructing the detention of another individual and insulting a police officer.

Documented Incidents Against Civil Activists – May 2024

Context

The monitoring conducted in May 2024 demonstrated a significant escalation in human rights violations committed against civil activists in Georgia. This period coincided with the reintroduction of the so-called “Russian Law,” which triggered large-scale, continuous, and intensive protest demonstrations across various cities of the country, particularly in Tbilisi. 

During the reporting period, numerous incidents were documented, including administrative and criminal detentions, serious incidents of violence, restrictions on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, intimidation, and the imposition of financial sanctions. A significant number of these incidents occurred in connection with peaceful assemblies and protest demonstrations involving law enforcement authorities or persons associated with them, indicating a pattern of restricting civic space and suppressing critical civic activism by the State. 

Incidents

On 1 May 2024, the Special Tasks Department dispersed a protest against the so-called “Russian Law” on Rustaveli Avenue. During the dispersal, special forces used pepper spray, tear gas, rubber bullets, and water cannons. Numerous individuals were injured. Among them was 25-year-old Nika Demurishvili, who was reportedly struck by a rubber bullet and sustained facial injuries. Konstantine Chakhunashvili was also reportedly hit by a rubber bullet, which struck him in the arm and thigh. By 01:30 a.m. on 2 May, eight citizens had been hospitalised. 

The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) issued a public statement calling on the Ministry of Internal Affairs to cease unlawful, violent practices incompatible with the protection of human rights and respectful of human dignity. 

On 1 May 2024, during a protest against the so-called “Russian Law” in Zugdidi, Maia Kalandia, Chair of the Akhalifaction in the Zugdidi Municipal Council, and Mariam Sichinava, Head of the Zugdidi branch of the political movement Droa, were detained. 

On 3 May 2024, citizens held a protest at the Paragraph Hotel in Tbilisi, where a reception for the President of the Asian Development Bank was taking place. The situation escalated several times during the protest, and police detained one citizen. 

On 3 May 2024, teacher and activist Lado Apkhazava was ambushed outside his home and physically assaulted with wooden batons while he was with his child. 

On 3 May 2024, protesters gathered near the Tbilisi Circus were attacked, and several individuals were physically assaulted. Five citizens sustained injuries. 

On 7 May 2024, unidentified individuals attacked and physically assaulted Giorgi Kldiashvili, Executive Director of the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI), while he was giving an interview near the Embassy of Sweden. 

On 8 May 2024, unidentified individuals ambushed Gia Japaridze, a researcher at the Chavchavadze Centre, outside his home and physically assaulted him. According to the available information, the attack was carried out by more than two individuals, who were reportedly armed with wooden baseball bats. 

On 8 May 2024, Nestan Ananidze, a citizen opposing the so-called “Russian Law,” was instructed by police to leave Victory Park in Tbilisi while exercising. According to Ananidze, the reason was the T-shirt she was wearing bearing the inscription “No to the Russian Law.” Events dedicated to Victory Day over Fascism were taking place in the park, attended by senior officials of the ruling Georgian Dream party. 

On 8 May 2024, Giorgi Shanidze, a volunteer fighter on the Ukrainian side, was arrested on suspicion of damaging a surveillance camera during a protest against the so-called “Russian Law.” Police detained him near his residence. 

On 9 May 2024, police arrested civil activist and military blogger Ucha Abashidze at his home. 

On 9 May 2024, during a protest against the so-called “Russian Law” on Chavchavadze Avenue, law enforcement officers began forcibly detaining peaceful demonstrators. According to TV Pirveli, at least five individuals were detained.

On 9 May 2024, police arrested Fridon Bubuteishvili on charges of damaging the Parliament gate (Article 187(1) of the Criminal Code) and throwing a stone at a firefighter-rescuer (Article 353¹ of the Criminal Code). On the same day, protest participant Irakli Meghvinetukhutsesi was also arrested on charges of assaulting a police officer under Article 353¹(1) of the Criminal Code. 

On 9 May 2024, Giorgi Mumladze, a member of the United National Movement, was physically assaulted by four individuals. He was severely beaten and his mobile phone was taken. The attack occurred in Marneuli in the presence of his minor child. 

On 9 May 2024, motorcyclists who had actively opposed the so-called “Russian Law” found their motorcycles damaged in the morning. 

On 10 May 2024, police arrested Mariam Iashvili, civil activist and wife of Ucha Abashidze, under criminal procedure. 

On 10 May 2024, police detained 11 individuals during a protest against the so-called “Russian Law” on Chavchavadze Avenue. Five of those detained were released shortly afterwards on the basis of a written undertaking. Protesters reported that police used force during the arrests. 

On 10 May 2024, film director Levan Abdushelishvili was detained during a march on Chavchavadze Avenueprotesting the so-called “Russian Law.” According to Abdushelishvili, police subjected him to physical violence during the arrest, after which he had to be transferred to Ingorokva Clinic for medical treatment. 

On 10 May 2024, unidentified individuals damaged the vehicle of videographer Giorgi Jobava, which he intended to use to provide coffee and tea to participants of the protest. 

On 10 May 2024, Beka Beridze, a member of the youth organisation of Lelo, was ambushed. According to Beridze, members of his family noticed a suspicious vehicle parked near their home and warned him not to return. 

On 10 May 2024, Sandro Kinkladze, a participant in the protests against the so-called “Russian Law,” reported that unknown individuals were lying in wait outside his home. He also published on social media a photograph of the vehicle that he claimed had been waiting for him. 

On 10 May 2024, Giorgi Mosiashvili, an employee of Girchi TV, was taken in for questioning. According to Zurab (Girchi) Japaridze, the questioning was likely connected to the publication by Imedi TV and POSTV of a manipulated recording of a years-old conversation the previous day. 

On 11 May 2024, police approached Nodar Turashvili, a chef who had participated in protests against the so-called “Russian Law,” at approximately 6:00 p.m. and took him to an undisclosed location. Turashvili later stated on Facebook that he had been taken to the Ortachala temporary detention facility for questioning in relation to an alleged theft. He linked the incident to his civic activism. 

On 11 May 2024, activists opposing the so-called “Russian Law” were subjected to overnight surveillance and intimidation. Members of the civic movement Dapioni—Zviad Tsetskhladze, Luka Natsvlishvili, and poet Rati Amaghlobeli—became targets of so-called “titushky.” Masked men appeared outside the activists’ homes, verbally abused them, and threatened them with physical violence. Individuals believed to be the perpetrators also waited outside the home of Rati Amaghlobeli. 

On 12 May 2024, the court ordered pre-trial detention as a preventive measure for Fridon Bubuteishvili, Irakli Meghvinetukhutsesi, and Giorgi Shanidze. 

On 12 May 2024, police arrested Giorgi Kuchuashvili and Davit Koldari. On the same day, the court imposed pre-trial detention on both individuals as a preventive measure. 

On 12 May 2024, the court also imposed pre-trial detention on blogger Ucha Abashidze and his wife Mariam Iashvilias a preventive measure.

On 13 May 2024, the Special Tasks Department dispersed the protest against the so-called “Russian Law.” At the same time, numerous media outlets circulated footage showing members of the special forces using violence against protesters. 

During the protest outside Parliament against the so-called “Russian Law,” 23 individuals were detained. According to the Public Defender (Ombudsman), 22 of the 23 detainees reported having been subjected to physical violence by police officers. Those detained included civil activists Guram Adamia, Malkhaz Gorgidze, Irakli Zarkua, Patrick Hernandez, Brian Jay Bingham, Guka Rcheulishvili, Giorgi Kemularia, Lasha Kemularia, Revi Qurashvili, Zura Khomeriki, and Kakha Kvekveskiri. 

Police officers also physically assaulted Nadim Khmaladze, a veteran of the war in Ukraine, during the protest. He was detained, beaten, and subsequently released. 

On 14 May 2024, the Parliament of Georgia adopted the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence, commonly referred to by the public as the “Russian Law,” at its third reading. Of the 116 Members of Parliament who participated in the vote, 84 voted in favour of the bill. 

The law requires non-governmental organisations and media outlets receiving foreign funding to register in a special registry as organisations “pursuing the interests of a foreign power.” According to critics, this terminology creates a risk of stigmatisation and restricts the activities of civil society. 

The adoption of the law was preceded by several weeks of large-scale demonstrations in Tbilisi and other cities. Demonstrators argued that the initiative posed a threat to the country’s democratic development and European integration. Georgia’s international partners, including representatives of the European Union and the United States, likewise stated that legislation of this nature is incompatible with European democratic standards and could negatively affect Georgia’s European integration process. 

Civil society organisations and human rights defenders frequently drew parallels with similar legislation in Russia, where, following its adoption, the activities of independent media and civil society organisations were significantly restricted. According to their assessment, the Russian legislation had been progressively tightened over the years and eventually expanded to apply not only to organisations but also to individual persons. 

On 14 May 2024, civil activist Lazare Grigoriadis was detained during a protest against the so-called “Russian Law.”

On 14 May 2024, during a protest against the so-called “Russian Law” at Heroes’ Square, at least three individualswere detained, according to TV Pirveli. One of those detained, Konstantine Tokhadze, was later released. 

On 14 May 2024, Giorgi Okmelashvili, founder of the company Limoni and a participant in the protests, was arrested on charges of assaulting a police officer under Article 353¹(1) of the Criminal Code. 

On 14 May 2024, during a protest against the so-called “Russian Law,” dozens of members of the Special Tasks Department forcibly dragged activist Davit Katsarava into a police cordon and repeatedly kicked and beat him. Katsarava was detained; however, due to the severity of his injuries, he was transferred to hospital, where he underwent surgery. 

On 15 May 2024, late at night during a protest on Rustaveli Avenue, participants noticed a vehicle from which individuals armed with wooden batons emerged. The unidentified individuals fled the scene after young protesters gathered and began recording them. 

On 15 May 2024, Irakli Miladze, a university student who had organised a meeting at the Caucasus International University against the so-called “Russian Law,” was attacked. According to Miladze, members of an aggressive group, who were also members of the university’s student self-government, ambushed him after the meeting, physically assaulted him, and verbally abused him. 

On 16 May 2024, 19-year-old Omar Okribelashvili and 23-year-old Saba Meparishvili were arrested in connection with alleged damage to a temporary barrier valued at GEL 400 during a protest outside Parliament against the so-called “Russian Law.” They were charged under Article 187(2)(g) of the Criminal Code. 

On 16 May 2024, Zuka Chakvetadze, who had been detained during the protest against the so-called “Russian Law,”stated that law enforcement officers physically assaulted him not only outside Parliament during his arrest but also afterwards inside the police vehicle. According to Chakvetadze, he was beaten by at least ten law enforcement officers. 

On 20 May 2024, the Tbilisi City Court heard the cases of 54 activists, whom the Ministry of Internal Affairs accused of blocking the roadway during protests against the so-called “Russian Law.”

On 21 May 2024, the Tbilisi City Court fined Zviad Dalakishvili, an activist opposing the so-called “Russian Law,”GEL 2,300. Dalakishvili had previously been abducted by special forces officers and severely beaten. The court also fined activist Tornike Ketelauri GEL 2,200. 

On 24 May 2024, Judge Nino Enukidze fined six activists GEL 500 each. The Ministry of Internal Affairs accused them of blocking the roadway during a protest against the so-called “Russian Law.”

On 30 May 2024, the court fined university applicant Saba Papashvili GEL 500 for participating in a protest against the so-called “Russian Law.” The investigation accused him of blocking the roadway. 

Also on 30 May 2024, the Ministry of Internal Affairs brought administrative offence proceedings before the Tbilisi City Court against actress Anano Makharadze, accusing her of blocking the roadway during a protest against the so-called “Russian Law.”

On 31 May 2024, civil activist Vitali Guguchia and members of his family were physically assaulted by employees of POSTV, a television channel controlled by Georgian Dream. The confrontation began after civil activists had travelled to a village in the Samegrelo region, where a POSTV crew also arrived. Guguchia was physically assaulted by a POSTV camera operator, who also attacked members of his family. Following the incident, the Special Investigation Serviceinitiated an investigation into the actions of the POSTV crew for interfering with journalistic activities.

Documented Incidents Against Civil Activists – June 2025

Context

The incidents documented in June 2025 indicate the continued use of criminal justice mechanisms against individuals connected with protest activities, as well as various forms of pressure against government critics. During the month, several participants in the pro-European protest demonstrations were sentenced to terms of imprisonment, while in a number of cases criminal investigations and prosecutions were initiated following incidents that occurred either inside court buildings or during protest demonstrations.

Particular attention during June was drawn to the case of activist and civic education teacher Nino Datashvili, whose case originated from an incident that took place at the Tbilisi City Court. Following an altercation at the courthouse, a criminal investigation was initiated against her, and she was subsequently arrested under criminal procedure.

During the same period, poet Zviad Ratiani was arrested during a protest outside the Parliament building and was later remanded in custody by the court as a preventive measure.

In addition to cases of criminal prosecution, incidents involving the imposition of financial sanctions were also documented. Among them, Baia Pataraia, Executive Director of the women’s rights organisation Sapari, was fined over statements published on social media.

The documented cases demonstrate that the use of legal mechanisms against individuals participating in protest activities remained active throughout June and included detention, deprivation of liberty, as well as the imposition of financial sanctions.

Incidents

On 2 June 2025, Judge Lili Mskhiladze of the Tbilisi City Court sentenced 23-year-old Daniel Mumladze and 26-year-old Guram Khutashvili to three years’ imprisonment each. The two had been arrested in connection with the alleged damage to surveillance cameras on Rustaveli Avenue during protests in December 2023. Although both defendants admitted the charges and expressed their willingness to compensate for the damage, they were not offered a plea agreement.

The case of Nino Datashvili

The case of activist and civic education teacher Nino Datashvili began in June 2025 following an incident at the Tbilisi City Court, where hearings concerning individuals detained during protest demonstrations were taking place.

On 9 June, an altercation occurred in the lobby of the Tbilisi City Court between Nino Datashvili and representatives of the Court Bailiff Service. According to the bailiffs, Datashvili was verbally instructed to leave an area where, they claimed, standing was prohibited pursuant to the court’s instructions. Datashvili initially responded with verbal resistance. Video footage of the incident, later circulated by activists, showed several court bailiffs forcibly removing her from the courthouse.

On 11 June 2025, the Ministry of Internal Affairs announced that a criminal investigation had been initiated against Nino Datashvili in connection with the incident at the City Court under Article 353² of the Criminal Code, which criminalises an attack against a public official in connection with the performance of official duties.

Eleven days after the incident, on 20 June 2025, law enforcement officers arrested Nino Datashvili. The court fully granted the prosecution’s motion and ordered pre-trial detention as a preventive measure, despite the defence having argued from the outset that detention posed serious risks to her health.

Shortly after Datashvili’s arrest, more than 200 teachers and university lecturers expressed solidarity with the detained teacher and issued a public statement. They stated that Nino Datashvili was being subjected to politically motivated criminal prosecution and called for pre-trial detention to be replaced with a less restrictive preventive measure.

During a court hearing held on 7 August, Nino Datashvili described how she had been treated by police officers following her arrest on 20 June. According to the teacher and activist, she was denied the opportunity to contact both her child and her lawyer for several hours after her arrest. Datashvili further stated that she was forced to strip at the police station and was denied access to a toilet for several hours. It is noteworthy that Mzia Amaghlobeli described being subjected to similar treatment. According to Datashvili, representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs treated her “like an object,” in a cynical and degrading manner.

During her detention, the case attracted further public attention when, in early August, the Prosecutor’s Office requested an inpatient psychiatric examination on the basis of an entry contained in the defendant’s medical records. The court granted the motion and warned that, should she refuse, she could be forcibly transferred to a psychiatric institution for 20 days. Human rights defenders, as well as Datashvili herself, described this measure as a return to Soviet-style repressive practices and equated it with treatment amounting to torture.

From September onwards, Datashvili’s health deteriorated sharply while in detention. Due to severe spinal problems, she lost the ability to move independently, sit, and even eat. Her physical condition became so serious that she was no longer able to attend her own court hearings, a fact officially confirmed by the Chief Medical Officer of the Penitentiary Service. Despite repeated requests by her lawyers and public appeals, the court initially continued to keep her in detention.

Ultimately, as continued detention proved incompatible with her life and health, the Prosecutor’s Office itself filed a motion requesting that the preventive measure be changed. On 29 October 2025, Judge Tamar Mchedlishvili granted the motion and replaced Nino Datashvili’s pre-trial detention with bail in the amount of GEL 5,000, after which she was released from the penitentiary institution in order to receive medical treatment.

Both domestic and international human rights organisations have characterised Nino Datashvili’s case as politically motivated and have described it as part of a broader campaign of repression against civil activists.

The principal concerns and assessments expressed by human rights organisations may be grouped into several categories:

Lack of justification for detention: The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA), in its Amicus Curiaesubmission, stated that the use of pre-trial detention was entirely unjustified, as there was no real risk that Datashvili would abscond, interfere with witnesses, or commit a new offence. The Public Defender of Georgia likewise concluded that the continued extension of her detention relied on abstract risks and failed to take proper account of her serious medical condition.

Soviet-style psychiatric repression: The organisation Partnership for Human Rights (PHR), together with mental health professionals, strongly condemned the request for a compulsory psychiatric examination. In their assessment, relying on a single reference extracted from Datashvili’s medical history—namely “emotional lability”—to justify such a measure represented a return to Soviet-style repressive practices and amounted to inhuman and degrading treatment.

International response: The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (FIDH) characterised Datashvili’s detention as arbitrary detention and judicial harassment intended to punish her for exercising her rights to freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly.

Violation of the right to health: International organisations further noted that the authorities’ failure to provide Datashvili with adequate medical care while in detention (FIDH), together with their disregard for her severe physical suffering, constituted a serious violation of fundamental human rights standards.

On 12 June 2025, Judge Nino Galustashvili of the Tbilisi City Court sentenced 21-year-old Mate Devidze, one of the so-called “prisoners of conscience,” to four years and six months’ imprisonment. Devidze had been charged under Article 353¹(1) of the Criminal Code, which criminalises an attack on a police officer.

On 18 June 2025, Judge Lela Tsagareishvili of the Tbilisi City Court imposed a GEL 4,000 fine on Baia Pataraia, Executive Director of the women’s rights organisation Sapari. Pataraia was found liable for insulting Mamuka Mdinaradze, Tea Tsulukiani, and Mariam Lashkhi in Facebook posts.

On 23 June 2025, poet Zviad Ratiani was arrested during a protest held outside the Parliament building on Rustaveli Avenue. During the protest, Ratiani slapped a police officer in the face as an act of protest.

On 25 June, Judge Arsen Kalatozishvili of the Tbilisi City Court granted the Prosecutor’s Office’s motion and ordered pre-trial detention as a preventive measure. Ratiani has been charged under Article 353¹(1) of the Criminal Code, which concerns an attack on a police officer and carries a penalty of four to seven years’ imprisonment.

Documented Incidents Against Civil Activists – January 2025

The incidents documented in January 2025 indicate the use of diverse and intensive forms of pressure against civil activists. These incidents include administrative and criminal prosecution, physical violence, restrictions on freedom of expression, financial sanctions, and alleged politically motivated discrimination in professional activities. 

During the reporting period, particularly notable were the mass detentions related to protest demonstrations in Tbilisi and Batumi, as well as judicial decisions concerning activists and the so-called “prisoners of conscience.” At the same time, multiple cases were documented in which individuals linked their dismissal from public employment to their civic position and participation in protests, creating a chilling effect on the exercise of freedom of expression. Cases of physical violence and ill-treatment against activists were also documented, both within Georgia and abroad. Overall, the events of January reflect an environment in which legal, administrative and coercive mechanisms are employed in parallel against civil society. 

Incidents

5 January 2025

Several public employees were dismissed from their positions. The Chairperson of the Central Election Commission (CEC), Giorgi Kalandarishvili, dismissed CEC employee Vako Maisuradze on the grounds of institutional reorganization. Maisuradze links his dismissal to his public condemnation of violence committed by the ruling Georgian Dream party.

Pavle Gakharia, an employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Public Safety Management Centre 112, also stated that he was dismissed because of his participation in protest demonstrations. According to Gakharia, his employment contract was terminated without any justification. 

8 January 2025

Gela Megrelidze, a German citizen who participated in protests against the so-called “Russian Law”, was denied the right of residence in Georgia and was found administratively liable for an offence committed during a protest.

Megrelidze, who returned to Georgia after 20 years abroad, applied for a residence permit. His application was rejected on the grounds that he allegedly posed a threat to the country. An official document issued to photographer Gela Megrelidze stated that his presence in Georgia was “incompatible with the interests of the State.” 

10 January 2025

Judge Ketevan Jachvadze examined the cases of 11 prisoners of conscience—Andro Chichinadze, Jano Archaia, Guram Mirtskhulava, Onise Tskhadadze, Ruslan Sivakov, Luka Jabuia, Sergei Kukharchuk, Giorgi Terishvili, Irakli Kherashvili, Revaz Kiknadze and Valeri Tetriashvili—and ordered that they remain in pre-trial detention. The Prosecutor’s Office charged the eleven participants in the pro-European protest demonstrations with participation in group violence. 

11 January 2025

Judge Irakli Khuskivadze examined the cases of eight prisoners of conscience—Vephkhia Kasradze, Zviad Tsetskhladze, Vasil Kadelashvili, Giorgi Giorgadze, Irakli Miminoshvili, Insaf Aliyev, Tornike Goshadze and Nikoloz Javakhishvili—and ordered that they remain in pre-trial detention.

The Prosecutor’s Office charged three defendants—Zviad Tsetskhladze, Vephkhia Kasradze and Vasil Kadelashvili—with organising and leading group violence, an offence punishable by six to nine years’ imprisonment. The remaining five defendants—Irakli Miminoshvili, Insaf Aliyev, Tornike Goshadze, Nikoloz Javakhishvili and Giorgi Giorgadze—were charged with participation in group violence, which carries a sentence of four to six years’ imprisonment. 

11 January 2025

During a pro-European protest near Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi, protest participant and disability rights advocate Gia Jvarsheishvili was detained.

According to a briefing by Eka Gigauri, Executive Director of Transparency International Georgia, and Nino Lomjaria, head of the organisation Georgia’s European Orbit, multiple rights were allegedly violated during Jvarsheishvili’s detention. He was reportedly subjected to both verbal and physical abuse.

12 January 2025

A large-scale protest entitled “Unfair Court” was held outside the Babilo restaurant on Beliashvili Street in Tbilisi. The demonstration was prompted by information circulated on social media and protest groups indicating that representatives of the judiciary, including leading judges associated with the so-called “judicial clan”, were holding a New Year’s corporate gathering at the restaurant.

The protest was fuelled by public outrage over the fact that, amid the country’s ongoing political crisis, mass demonstrations and the detention of protesters, judges were attending a festive dinner. The demonstration began in the afternoon, after which a large number of police officers and special forces units, including water cannon vehicles, were deployed to the scene. Law enforcement officers completely cordoned off the perimeter of the restaurant to prevent protesters from approaching those inside. 

Police officers on the scene prevented members of the media from filming individuals leaving the restaurant. While the judges’ gathering was taking place, the protest continued throughout the day.

Police administratively detained nine individuals. They were charged under Articles 166 and 173 of the Code of Administrative Offences, namely petty hooliganism and failure to comply with a lawful order of a police officer. Notably, all detainees alleged that disproportionate force had been used against them during their detention. 

The hearings concerning the detainees took place at Tbilisi City Court on 14 January. Eight activists were sentenced to terms of administrative detention by different judges. 

Specifically:

  • Judge Lela Mildenberger sentenced Tite Gedenidze and Zviad Robakidze to 10 days of administrative detention, while Shako Maghradze was sentenced to 12 days of administrative detention.
  • Judge Zviad Tsekvava sentenced Daniel Bulkashvili to 14 days of administrative detention.
  • Judge Manuchar Tsatsua sentenced Zurab Manchkhashvili to 13 days of administrative detention, while Giorgi Chachanidze received 10 days of administrative detention.
  • Judge Koba Chagunava sentenced Beka Papashvili to 15 days of administrative detention.
  • Judge Nino Enukidze sentenced Kakha Japaridze to 10 days of administrative detention. 

11–12 January 2025

During protest demonstrations held outside the Constitutional Court of Georgia and the Adjara Police Department in Batumi, police detained 13 activists. 

On 11 January, detentions began outside Batumi City Court, where activist Tatia Abuladze was detained after attaching a protest poster. Later the same day, activist Tsiala Katamidze was detained outside the Adjara Police Department after displaying a poster of similar content.

Police subsequently detained Mate Tsenteradze, Goderdzi Prangishvili, Temur Katamadze, Lali Dgebuadze, Teo Beridze, Malkhaz Iremadze, and Nini Shavadze, who is a minor.

According to the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA), some of the detainees were charged with failure to comply with a lawful order of a police officer. 

On 12 January, police detained several additional activists during the protest outside the Constitutional Court in Batumi, including Elizbar Chkhikvadze, Luka Natsvlishvili, Shushana Matsaberidze, and Levan Khorava.

According to GYLA, the detainees were transferred to Poti following their detention. 

13 January 2025

Members of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Viktor Sanikidze and Irakli Zarkua, physically assaulted civil activist Lasha Gabitashvili in Dubai.

The incident followed Gabitashvili shouting “slave” and “traitor” at Georgian Dream Members of Parliament the previous day. 

13 January 2025

Tbilisi City Hall employee Kristina Chubinidze was dismissed from her position.

The former public employee stated that she was dismissed because of her commitment to the Constitution and Georgia’s European values. According to her, although her employment relationship had been terminated on 31 December, she was informed of the dismissal only on 13 January.

Chubinidze was among the signatories of a public statement expressing support for Georgia’s European course

18 January 2025

During a protest held outside the Gldani-Nadzaladevi Police Department No. VII in Tbilisi, law enforcement officers detained several activists by use of force. Those detained included film director Guram Matskhonashvili, Sona Kalandadze, Mariam Paichadze, manager of the Haraki movement, Tamar Chumashvili, Roman Akopov, and Mariam Gilashvili. They were charged with wearing face coverings during a protest and with failure to comply with a lawful order of a police officer. 

Several of the activists administratively detained outside the Temka police station alleged that they had been subjected to physical and verbal abuse by police officers. According to their lawyer, police officers pulled Sona Kalandadze’s hair and verbally abused her while taking her into the police station. The lawyer further stated that Mariam Paichadze was also dragged by her hair during her detention. According to the same source, one alleged law enforcement officer dressed in civilian clothing mocked the detainees and humiliated them because of their participation in the protest.

According to Tamta Mikeladze, Executive Director of the Social Justice Center, Guram Matskhonashvili was struck on the back of the head while at the police station. 

20 January 2025

Judge Nino Gudadze delivered the judgment in the case of prisoners of conscience Omar Okribelashvili and Saba Meparishvili.

The court sentenced both defendants to three years’ imprisonment, which was reduced to two and a half years under the amnesty law. Of this sentence, one year was suspended, while the remaining one year and six months is to be served in a penitentiary institution.

As Okribelashvili and Meparishvili have already spent eight months in detention, they are expected to remain in prison for approximately another ten months.

During the hearing held on 20 January, both defendants pleaded guilty to the charges against them. The Prosecutor’s Office accused them of acting jointly to damage a police barricade, causing damage assessed at GEL 400. According to prosecutor Nugzar Chitadze, the defendants had also compensated for the damage. 

Omar Okribelashvili and Saba Meparishvili were originally detained by police during protests against the so-called “Foreign Agents Law.”

20 January 2025

Fridon Bubuteishvili, aged 20, who had been detained during protests against the so-called “Russian Law,” was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment. The judgment was delivered by Judge Zviad Sharadze. The Prosecutor’s Office accused Bubuteishvili of damaging the gate of the Parliament building, causing damage estimated at GEL 500. He was also charged with throwing stones at a firefighter-rescuer. 

26 January 2025

Civil activist Vakho Pitskhelauri was abducted and physically assaulted in the Tsmindatskali settlement of Gori. According to the activist, he was attacked by at least three masked individuals while walking to a local shop. Pitskhelauri links the attack to his civic activities. 

29 January 2025

Citizens held another protest outside the Government House of Adjara in Batumi against the policies of the ruling Georgian Dream party and brought tents to the site of the demonstration. During the protest, police restricted the participants’ freedom of expression by preventing the use of protest tents and confiscating the tents brought by demonstrators. 

20 January 2025

Film director Guram Matskhonashvili was fined GEL 2,000 by the court.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs charged him under Articles 173 and 174 of the Code of Administrative Offences, relating to failure to comply with a lawful order of a police officer and wearing a face covering during a protest.

Matskhonashvili had previously been detained by law enforcement officers during the protest outside the Glldani-Nadzaladevi Police Department No. VII together with several other activists. 

27 January 2025

The Zugdidi District Court imposed a GEL 2,000 fine on Mariam Sichinava, a political activist of the Droa party, for wearing a face covering during a protest, under Article 174 of the Code of Administrative Offences. 

30 January 2025

Nino Khazalashvili, an employee of the Samtskhe-Javakheti Destination Management Organisation, stated that she was dismissed from her position after reacting (“haha” reaction) to a social media post.

According to Khazalashvili, for several weeks she had expressed reactions to social media posts related to civic activism, and believes that these reactions were the reason for her dismissal.

Incidents documented against civil activists – February 2025

Context

The incidents documented in February 2025 show that, during the month of February, the practice of pressure directed against civil activists continued actively. The cases described during the reporting period include administrative detentions, criminal prosecution, physical violence, financial sanctions, as well as alleged discriminatory decisions related to professional activity.

A significant part of the documented cases is linked to peaceful protest activity, including participation in demonstrations and the public expression of positions. At the same time, in a number of cases, there are indications of the use of force and ill-treatment by law enforcement bodies, pointing to risks of restrictions on the freedoms of assembly and expression.

Incidents:

On 2 February 2025, on the 67th day of the pro-European protests, a protest assembly was held in Tbilisi, near Tbilisi Mall, demanding the holding of new elections and the release of persons detained during the protests. During the assembly, police physically assaulted participants and detained a total of 31 persons under administrative procedure.

Among those detained were former President of the National Bank of Georgia Giorgi Kadagidze and Badri Grigalashvili, a political activist of the Coalition for Change, who was later removed from the police detention vehicle together with two other detainees. According to available information, one of them had visible injuries on his face. At the 2 February protest, detainees were physically assaulted by special forces officers under the command of Zviad Kharazishvili. Among the victims was chef Zurab Shonia, who was struck on the head by special forces officers. The activist had to be transferred to Ingorokva Clinic.

A statement disseminated by the Public Defender reads: “The facts of ill-treatment and excessive use of force by police against citizens, journalists and politicians, as reflected in video footage disseminated through public sources, are alarming. Information is also being disseminated about an injured TV Pirveli camera operator as a result of actions by police officers. We also saw, live on air, footage of verbal insults by police officers against women, including female politicians.”

On 4 February 2025, charges were aggravated against eight persons detained on 2 February near Tbilisi Mall — Irakli Tabatadze, Nikoloz Kutubidze, Vasil Eliava, Aleksandre Gogoladze, Dimitri Bidzinashvili, Gigi Ugulava, Irakli Tsignadze and Nikoloz Qumsishvili — who had initially been accused of an administrative offence. The Prosecutor’s Office accused them of committing an offence under Article 19-222 of the Criminal Code. This concerns an attempted group blockade of an object of strategic or special importance. The court imposed bail as a preventive measure on all eight persons and released them from the courtroom.

On 6 February 2025, at dawn, police detained three students of Tbilisi State University and Georgian Technical University — Achi Gochitashvili, Luka Khizadze and Giorgi Barbakadze. All three were demanding, from the corridor of the State University, the release of their comrades held in unlawful captivity and the holding of new elections. They were accused of failure to comply with a lawful order of a law enforcement officer, which is punishable under Article 173 of the Code of Administrative Offences by a fine or administrative detention.

On 11 February 2025, police fined Zura Tsetskhladze, the father of prisoner of conscience Zviad Tsetskhladze, GEL 5,000 on the basis of Article 174 of the Code of Administrative Offences. According to Zura Tsetskhladze, up to seven police officers were waiting for him near his home and served him with the fine report.

On 11 February 2025, four persons were detained during an ongoing pro-European protest on Rustaveli Avenue. Two of them were released on the basis of a written undertaking. Among those detained were Levan Gogichaishvili, Kakha Turmanidze and Giorgi Okribelashvili, the father of prisoner of conscience Omar Okribelashvili.

On 15 February 2025, the court fined Bacho Dolidze GEL 5,000. He was accused, in connection with the 11 February protest, of artificially blocking a road under Article 174 of the Code of Administrative Offences.

On 18 February 2025, civil activist Nikoloz Latsabidze was attacked by four unidentified individuals. The incident took place on Andronikashvili Street. The activist underwent medical examinations at Viva Med Clinic and was diagnosed with a concussion.

On 18 February 2025, Judge Koba Chagunava found civil activist Isako Devidze liable for an administrative offence and fined him GEL 5,000, while activist Mariam Gachechiladze was issued a verbal warning.

Isako Devidze had been detained on 19 November 2024 on Melikishvili Avenue. On 20 November, he was sentenced to eight days of detention on charges of petty hooliganism and failure to comply with a lawful order of a police officer.

On 20 February 2025, employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs fined Lasha Diarov, a member of Strategy Aghmashenebeli. Diarov was accused of artificially blocking the carriageway on 14 February.

On 20 February 2025, several participants in the pro-European protest were issued fines. Eka Siradze, former Ambassador of Georgia to France, was fined GEL 5,000 for participating in the protest. Giorgi Kirakozashvili, the son of a soldier who died heroically in the August War, was fined GEL 1,000, while Nadim Khmaladze was served with two fine notices and is required to pay a total of GEL 25,000 in fines.

On 24 February 2025, teachers dismissed from their jobs spoke to TV Pirveli about political repression. Sophio Roinishvili, a former teacher at Kutaisi Public School No. 6, stated that her participation in a protest and a GEL 5,000 fine imposed for setting off fireworks became the basis for her dismissal. Manana Ghvinjilia, a dismissed teacher from Public School No. 51, is also preparing to defend her interests in court. According to her, she was dismissed before the elections solely because she was the head of the Chugureti organization of Strong Georgia.

On 27 February 2025, the court issued fines to participants in the pro-European protest. Judge Koba Chagunava fined parody artist Kartlos Natroshvili GEL 500 for standing at the Rustaveli protest. Judge Nino Enukidze also fined Nika Narsia on the grounds of road blocking.

Incidents documented against civil activists – April 2025

Context

The incidents documented in April 2025 show that the practice of pressure against civil activists continues to retain a systemic character and manifests in various forms. The incidents recorded during the reporting period relate to administrative detentions, physical violence, investigative actions, restrictions on the freedoms of assembly and expression, as well as alleged discriminatory decisions connected to professional activity.

A significant part of the cases remains linked to protest activity and the public expression of a pro-European position. At the same time, in a number of cases, there are indications of disproportionate interference by law enforcement bodies, including in the context of detentions, the use of force and the dispersal of protest assemblies.

During the reporting period, particular attention should be paid to investigative actions carried out in the homes of activists and representatives of foundations and human rights organizations, as well as cases of dismissal of persons employed in the public sector, which, according to the victims themselves, were linked to their civic activism.

Incidents:

On 1 April 2025, Luka Kintsurashvili, an active participant in pro-European protests, was detained by police under administrative procedure late at night. According to Tamta Mikeladze, Director of the Social Justice Center, the activist was stopped at 20:00 on Vazha-Pshavela Avenue and was asked to show the contents of Telegram on his phone. Kintsurashvili refused to do so. After that, police took Kintsurashvili’s phone and detained him.

On 8 April 2025, late at night, during a protest on Rustaveli Avenue, police detained three activists — Vato Samkharadze, Rezi Dumbadze and Tazo Kveselava — under administrative procedure. The Ministry of Internal Affairs charged them under Articles 166 and 173 of the Code of Administrative Offences, concerning petty hooliganism and failure to comply with a lawful order of a police officer. According to lawyer Giorgi Tabatadze, detained activist Vato Samkharadze had a split lip and redness on his face. According to the lawyer, the activist sustained the physical injuries during his detention by police. As for the second detainee, Rezi Dumbadze, a police officer allegedly threatened and verbally insulted him.

On 9 April 2025, according to local activists, police did not allow citizens gathered near the 9 April Memorial in Zugdidi to express their protest and dispersed the assembly by force. Droa activist Mariam Sichinava wrote that one citizen was injured during the dispersal and had to be transferred to hospital. It appears that after the activists were removed from the area, representatives of the local authorities arrived at the 9 April Memorial.

On 12 April 2025, according to Batumi-based activist Tsiala Katamidze, the Ministry of Defence dismissed her from the position of reservist of the National Guard, a position she had held since 2022. According to the former reservist of the Defence Battalion of the National Guard of the Defence Forces, the reason for her dismissal was political and was linked to ongoing developments in the country.

On 14 April 2025, activist Lekso Samkharadze wrote on social media that unknown individuals attacked and physically assaulted him and his friend in Freedom Square. According to the activist, the attackers struck him with a sharp object in the area of the back and crown of his head, as a result of which he sustained multiple head injuries. As for Levan Kanchaveli, Samkharadze wrote that unknown individuals fractured his skull, requiring Kanchaveli to undergo surgery. In an interview with TV Pirveli, Levan Kanchaveli stated that the group attack was allegedly linked to his participation in pro-European protests.

On 14 April 2025, Transparency International Georgia issued a statement saying that Georgian Dream had dismissed up to 700 employees from dozens of public institutions with the aim of suppressing the protest wave in the country.

TI wrote that, under the pretext of reorganization, expiry of employment contracts or other formal grounds, employees were dismissed after signing protest statements concerning the suspension of European integration or after openly expressing critical views regarding the government’s policies.

Transparency International Georgia considers that, through four amendments made to the Law on Public Service since December 2024, Georgian Dream has significantly weakened the legal protection of civil servants and, in effect, dismantled the public service reform. The organization notes that the public service reform had been implemented for years with the support of international organizations and was one of the essential preconditions for the country’s integration into European structures.

On 16 April 2025, Gela Khasaia, a member of Girchi — More Freedom and a political activist, was sentenced by a judge of Tbilisi City Court to 12 days of administrative detention. Khasaia was accused of resisting police officers on 31 March; however, according to TV Pirveli, uninterrupted footage disseminated publicly shows that the activist followed the police voluntarily, without resistance.

On 21 April 2025, on Rustaveli Avenue, where participants in the pro-European protest were marking Easter together, police detained two persons. According to publicly available information, the detainees were Giorgi Ortoidze and Giorgi Samkharadze. One of the protest participants also published a video of the incident on Facebook. According to that participant, law enforcement officers detained the activists only because they were congratulating people on Easter.

On 29 April 2025, Tbilisi Court of Appeal refused to grant refugee status to Batumi flag-bearer Temur Katamadze. Temur Katamadze had requested that he be granted refugee status, as well as humanitarian or subsidiary protection status.

On 29 April 2025, employees of the Prosecutor’s Office conducted searches in the residential apartments of Nanuka Zhorzholiani, founder of the Nanuka Fund; her daughter, activist Mariam Geguchadze; activist Mariam Bajelidze; Aleko Tskitishvili, Head of the Human Rights Center; and Guga Kheladze, founder of the fund “For Each Other 24/7”. According to information disseminated by the Prosecutor’s Office, the searches were conducted within the framework of an investigation launched under Article 318 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, concerning sabotage. According to information disseminated by GYLA, lawyers were not given a full opportunity to attend the search procedures, and the court orders were general in nature: they did not specify the list of items, objects or materials to be discovered or seized during the searches.

The investigation in this case is being conducted on the basis of a complaint filed by Vato Shakarishvili’s organization, United Neutral Georgia.

The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association responded by statement to the search-and-seizure operations carried out on 29 April in the homes of representatives of foundations. According to the organization, the morning search-and-seizure operations constituted another manifestation of Georgian Dream’s terror and, even under the presumption of an objectively conducted investigation, could not be assessed as an appropriate investigative measure.

Incidents Documented Against Civil Activists – 1–10 December 2024

Context

At the beginning of December 2024, large-scale protest assemblies were taking place in various cities of Georgia. The protest wave was related to political decisions concerning the process of accession to the European Union and to broad public dissatisfaction. During this period, protest assemblies were held on a daily basis.

During the reporting period, law enforcement officers repeatedly dispersed peaceful protest assemblies, used force and special means, and detained citizens both under administrative-offence proceedings and arrested them in criminal proceedings. Searches of personal and residential premises were carried out at the addresses of various persons. During detention, transportation, and while being held by law enforcement bodies, citizens alleged ill-treatment. The reports describe physical violence, verbal abuse, and psychological pressure. In individual cases, citizens indicated the unlawful confiscation of personal belongings, including mobile phones and bags, by law enforcement officers. During the indicated period, courts imposed administrative detention or financial sanctions against civil or political activists. In addition, pre-trial detention was applied as a preventive measure against all persons arrested in criminal proceedings.

  • Restriction of the freedoms of assembly and expression: During the reporting period, police forces dispersed protest demonstrations 5 times.
  • Criminal arrests: As of 10 December, according to official data, approximately 40 persons had been arrested in criminal proceedings.
  • Administrative detentions: For the same period, more than 400 persons had been detained under administrative-offence proceedings.
  • Physical violence / ill-treatment: Out of 327 detained and injured persons visited by the Public Defender, 225 alleged ill-treatment, while visible injuries were documented in 157 cases.
  • Financial sanctions / administrative proceedings: During the reporting period, courts applied administrative liability measures, including fines amounting in total to at least GEL 8,100, as well as verbal warnings.
  • Confiscation of property / personal belongings: During the reporting period, at least 5 cases were documented where detentions were accompanied by the alleged unlawful confiscation of personal belongings, including mobile phones.
  • Criminal prosecution / initiation of investigation: Within the framework of court practice, pre-trial detention was imposed on at least 19 accused persons, namely in the so-called cases involving 8 persons and 11 persons.
  • Indirect pressure / “Chilling Effect”: At least 3 different types of practices were identified that indicate indirect pressure, including the context of reorganization in the public sector, mass police control related to protest spaces, and the practice of summoning activists to investigative bodies.

1 December 2024, Tbilisi

During the night hours, according to reports, special-purpose forces used special means against demonstrators, including water cannons and tear gas. An assessment of the available reports indicates that, in individual episodes, the use of force and special means did not comply with the principle of proportionality.

According to various sources, tear gas was used in circumstances connected with enclosed spaces, including near the entrances of residential buildings and within the inner perimeter of buildings, which requires particular legal assessment in the context of safety standards. During the reporting period, signs of restrictions related to the movement of protest participants were also documented, including restrictions on the possibility to leave the area and the use of encirclement tactics.

Throughout the night of 1–2 December, in more than ten episodes, special-purpose forces continued to use special means against peaceful demonstrators, including water cannons and tear gas.

Researcher Shota Narsia was detained on 1 December, at approximately 01:39, in the area surrounding the streets of Dzmebi Zubalashvilebi and Lesia Ukrainka. According to reports, the detention was preceded by physical violence by special-purpose forces, including blows and the use of force, despite the fact that he was not resisting. Narsia indicated both physical injuries and verbal abuse and psychological pressure.

Gia Jvarsheishvili, a disability rights defender and activist, was violently detained on Rustaveli Avenue during the night of 1–2 December. According to him, special-purpose officers physically assaulted him on the spot, despite the fact that he had his hands raised in a sign of peace. After the detention, according to Jvarsheishvili’s account, the violence continued in a special vehicle, where he was beaten and his ability to move was restricted. The beating was so intense that, according to available information, the activist sustained serious injuries — he was diagnosed with fractured ribs and a concussion and had difficulty breathing. Jvarsheishvili describes that the physical violence was accompanied by degrading and aggressive verbal abuse. According to him, medical assistance became possible only after his condition sharply deteriorated. He also states that police officers removed from his pocket his mobile phone and wallet, which contained money and personal documents. They also took his backpack.

Rati Bokolishvili was detained on the morning of 1 December on Rustaveli Avenue while he was returning home from the protest. According to his account, law enforcement officers unexpectedly attacked him and the persons accompanying him, despite the fact that they had not resisted. Bokolishvili describes that during the detention and afterwards, in a special vehicle, repeated physical violence was carried out against him, including blows to the face and body. According to him, the violence was accompanied by verbal abuse and threats. As a result of the injuries sustained, he was diagnosed with damage to the nasal septum and a concussion, and medical assistance and treatment became necessary. Bokolishvili also states that, at that time, his personal belongings were taken, including a mobile phone, backpack, helmet, and respirator mask.

Saba Kevkhishvili was detained on 1 December, in the early morning hours, on Rustaveli Avenue after the dispersal of a mass peaceful assembly. According to the organization, after the detention, physical violence was carried out against him, as a result of which he had serious injuries, including fractures of the nose, jaw, and eye socket, and a concussion. According to Kevkhishvili, he was beaten in a minibus, threatened, and his mobile phone and personal belongings were taken from him.

Thirty-eight-year-old Temur Zasokhashvili was initially detained under administrative-offence proceedings, and after 48 hours he was charged in criminal proceedings. He is accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail on 1 December on Rustaveli Avenue, as a result of which, according to the prosecution’s version, a water cannon vehicle was damaged; the court imposed pre-trial detention on him as a preventive measure. According to the lawyers, Zasokhashvili had serious physical injuries at the time of detention, while his identification on the basis of video footage and photo identification in the case is disputed. According to the lawyers, at the time of detention he had serious physical injuries, including in the facial and body areas, and had difficulty moving. According to his lawyer, after the detention, Zasokhashvili was in serious physical condition — he had bruises and blood effusions on his face, had difficulty moving, and even had difficulty opening his eye.

Fifty-three-year-old Davit Lomidze was initially detained by the police on 1 December 2024 at the ongoing protest on Rustaveli Avenue under administrative-offence proceedings, and after the expiry of 48 hours he was charged in criminal proceedings. He is accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail towards employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs; on 4 December, the court imposed pre-trial detention on him as a preventive measure. According to the defence, physical violence and psychological pressure were used against Lomidze during the detention, and his personal belongings were also confiscated. Lomidze does not plead guilty, while the lawyer considers the evidence presented in the case to be insufficient and disputed. According to the defence, after the detention, physical violence was carried out against Lomidze during his transfer to a minibus; his hands were tied and he was beaten. According to the lawyer, the violence was also accompanied by psychological pressure, including demands for cooperation and for changing testimony. In addition, special-purpose officers stole Davit Lomidze’s personal belongings; he had with him a mobile phone, wallet, and bank cards.

Twenty-one-year-old Giorgi Mindadze, a medical university student, was arrested on 1 December 2024 in Mtskheta Municipality. The Prosecutor’s Office accuses him of throwing pyrotechnics towards law enforcement officers, while the court imposed pre-trial detention on him as a preventive measure. According to the defence, the prosecution relies on a photograph and a police officer’s testimony to substantiate the charge; however, the lawyer considers the evidence insufficient. According to the family, at the time of the arrest, Mindadze’s whereabouts were unknown to his mother, which forced her to search for her son in various agencies.

Actress Natia Bunturi states that, during unrest at the protest, law enforcement officers helped her up and took her to a side street under the pretext of removing her from the area. According to her, at that location, while speaking with police officers, she was struck on the head, as a result of which she sustained an injury. According to Bunturi, after the incident, she was removed from the area.

One of the protest participants, Tamar Zhvania, was transferred to hospital. According to relatives, she had been standing in front of the special-purpose forces during the protest. According to reports, she had difficulty speaking and showed signs of disorientation.

2 December 2024

The Ministry of Internal Affairs began dispersing the protest at 21:45. Special-purpose forces moved from Freedom Square and the surrounding areas towards Rustaveli Avenue and were deployed towards the area surrounding Parliament, including the perimeter of Kashveti Church. Special means were used in the process of dispersing the protest. By approximately 22:10, law enforcement officers used tear gas. The protest was preceded by public statements of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, in which the agency called on participants to disperse and referred to the use of special means.

According to the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, during the dispersal of the protest, there were alleged cases of excessive use of force. According to the organization, facts of infliction of physical injuries on demonstrators were documented, and some of the injured persons required medical assistance.

By 7:00 in the morning, police forces began dispersing the protest and also detained protest participants. Among the detained persons was human rights defender Giorgi Davituri. He is the Head of the Rule of Law and Media Freedom Direction at the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information.

Judge Zviad Tsekvava of Tbilisi City Court sentenced poet Zviad Ratiani, who had been detained at the 28 November protest, to 8 days of administrative detention. According to the lawyer, he was taken directly from the hospital to the court and from there to a detention facility. According to relatives, Ratiani sustained physical injuries during the detention. Zviad Ratiani sustained serious injuries during the detention, including multiple fractures and bruises, which required urgent medical intervention and bed rest. Despite his serious health condition, Ratiani was taken directly from the hospital to court, after which administrative detention was imposed on him. According to relatives, this decision practically disregarded the victim’s medical needs.

Giorgi Chutkerashvili was detained by special-purpose officers during the 2 December protest. According to him, during the detention process and afterwards, while in the vehicle, physical violence and threats were used against him. Giorgi Chutkerashvili recounts that special-purpose officers severely assaulted him during the detention. According to him, they first threw him to the ground, struck him on the back of the head, and threatened to kill him, after which they forced him into a vehicle. According to Chutkerashvili’s account, the physical violence continued in the vehicle as well — he was hit in different parts of the body, including in the face and on the back of the head, despite his requests that they stop beating him. He also recalls that law enforcement officers mocked him, verbally abused him, and threatened to inflict physical injury. According to him, the violence continued repeatedly, and one of the persons struck him in the nose area. Chutkerashvili notes that, during the detention process, they also took photographs of him and asked whether he was allegedly involved in organizing the protests.

Lazare Maghlakelidze was detained on 2 December, in the early morning hours, in the context of the protest action. According to him, after the detention, law enforcement officers used violence against him several times, including during transfer in a vehicle. Maghlakelidze notes that the physical violence was accompanied by threats and degrading treatment. Lazare Maghlakelidze states that, after the detention, special-purpose officers used violence against him repeatedly. According to him, law enforcement officers first checked whether journalists were absent, after which they began physical assault; they covered his head with a raincoat and beat him in a group, including in the face and body areas. Maghlakelidze recalls that he lost consciousness as a result of the beating, and after regaining consciousness, the violence continued. According to his account, he was thrown into a minibus together with other detainees, where special-purpose officers periodically returned and continued beating them, including in complete darkness. According to the victim, the physical violence was accompanied by severe verbal abuse and threats of rape.

Twenty-four-year-old Dato Abuladze, a person with disabilities, was detained and beaten by special-purpose forces at the protest. According to available information, three special-purpose officers approached him and his friend, confiscated personal belongings, and physically assaulted them. After the detention, Abuladze was taken to a police station, where an interpreter was not provided, despite the fact that his only language of communication is sign language. Later, he was placed in a clinic. Dato Abuladze is receiving treatment at Ingorokva Clinic. He has bruising around the eyes, a concussion, and injuries to his legs.

Twenty-six-year-old Davit Khomeriki was arrested on 2 December 2024. The Prosecutor’s Office accuses him of preparing an explosion using a so-called Molotov cocktail, while the court imposed pre-trial detention on him as a preventive measure. Khomeriki does not plead guilty and states that the items referred to in the case did not belong to him. According to the defence, the video material presented does not enable the identification of the accused, while the expert report does not consider the seized substances to be explosive or flammable. According to the lawyer, the charge is based mainly on the search protocol.

Murad Gevorgyan was arrested by law enforcement officers in Tbilisi in a case related to the protest actions. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, he is accused of throwing a burning object towards the Parliament building, as a result of which a fire broke out in the building.

An ambulance transferred A.T., who had been detained and beaten at the protest, from Tbilisi City Court to Ghudushauri Clinic. According to human rights defenders, while in the detention facility, the detained person complained of a severe headache; however, his health condition was left unattended and he was not transferred to hospital. The court hearing continued late into the night and, despite the deterioration of his health condition, the hearing was not postponed. A.T. was detained on 30 November during the dispersal of the protest and, according to available information, was placed in the detention facility in a beaten condition.

A member of “Girchi – More Freedom” and political activist Gela Khasaia was attacked near his home. According to him, three masked persons approached him from behind, struck him in the back, as a result of which he fell face-first onto gravel, and they hit him on the back, legs, and face. After the incident, an ambulance was called to the scene.

According to the Ministry of Health, on 2 December, against the background of the protest actions, ambulance teams transferred 26 persons to medical facilities. According to official data, among those hospitalized were 23 protest participants and 3 representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. According to the agency, some of the injured persons remained under doctors’ supervision in clinics, while some had already left medical facilities. According to the Ministry, none of the injured persons’ lives were in danger. It is noted that this statistic includes only those persons whose hospitalization was carried out by the Emergency Situations Coordination and Urgent Assistance Centre.

ISFED researcher Shota Narsia, who had been detained at the protest, was fined GEL 2,800 by the court. Narsia was detained on the morning of 1 December. According to the organization, the detention episode was accompanied by physical violence — he was hit from behind, dragged on the ground after falling, and later pressed against a wall. According to reported information, after the detention Narsia indicated both physical injuries and verbal abuse and psychological pressure.

3 December 2024

After the dispersal of the assembly in front of Parliament, the protest continued on Rustaveli Avenue. During the night, the situation periodically escalated. According to reports, police forces pursued demonstrators and used special means, including gas capsules. According to footage disseminated by the media, the use of gas capsules on Rustaveli Avenue was also recorded from the roofs of buildings, which requires particular attention from the perspective of safety.

In addition, according to reports, on 3 December, at approximately 03:00, in parallel with police operations taking place on Shevchenko Street, outdoor lighting was temporarily switched off on Rustaveli Avenue and in the surrounding area.

Anton Chechin, a Russian citizen, was arrested in Georgia in a criminal case related to the protest actions. He is accused of purchasing and possessing a large amount of narcotic substances, although he does not plead guilty. The defence points to inconsistencies in the evidence, including the absence of video evidence and possible violence during the arrest.

According to the Prosecutor’s Office, charges were brought against three persons arrested in criminal proceedings in connection with the protest actions held near Parliament, and pre-trial detention was imposed on them as a preventive measure, including Giorgi Mindadze and Murad Gevorgyan. According to the agency, one accused person is alleged to have injured a law enforcement officer through the use of pyrotechnics, the second is alleged to have set fire to the surveillance system installed on the Parliament building, and the third is alleged to have damaged one of the rooms of Parliament as a result of a fire.

Twenty-two-year-old Aleksi Tirkia, who was injured during the protest action of 3 December, sustained serious injuries. He was placed in Ingorokva Clinic and was under medically induced sleep. According to doctors, the patient had an open scalp wound, fractures of the frontal bone and the upper wall of the eye socket, as well as a contusion injury of the frontal lobe and traumatic haemorrhage.

Persons detained at the protest on Rustaveli Avenue were transferred to Zahesi and various temporary detention facilities. According to lawyer Lasha Tkesheladze, some of the detained persons bear traces of physical violence. According to the lawyer, one of the detained persons is an 18-year-old musician who is a DJ. According to him, during the detention, law enforcement officers used violence against him: initially they hit him after he had fallen, and then the beating continued in the vehicle as well. According to Lasha Tkesheladze, the detained person has multiple injuries in the face and body areas, including around the eyes.

As of 3 December, according to the Public Defender’s Office, representatives of the Ombudsperson had visited a total of 201 persons, including a 21-year-old young person placed in Ingorokva University Clinic, whose serious health condition had been reported in the media. According to the Ombudsperson, on 1–3 December, they additionally visited 75 persons in temporary detention facilities and clinics in Tbilisi, Baghdati, Gori, and Zestaponi. Of these, 56 alleged ill-treatment by members of the special-purpose unit, while 44 detained persons had injuries of various kinds.

On 3 December, Davit Janjalia, the son of former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Teimuraz Janjalia, stated on social media that a physical attack against him and his family members was being planned. According to him, he had received this information from several sources at the same time and identified possible locations of the attack as both his residential environment and protest actions. Davit Janjalia linked this statement to his father’s resignation from office.

Teimuraz Janjalia resigned from his post on 30 November. On 1 December, Irakli Kobakhidze stated that the decision to dismiss him had been made by “Georgian Dream,” while Janjalia himself noted that his resignation was linked to recent developments — the government’s decision to suspend negotiations on accession to the European Union until 2028 and the mass protest actions that began against this background.

4 December 2024

During the protest action ongoing on Rustaveli Avenue on 3–4 December, from 23:30, the special-purpose unit began dispersing the assembly. Before that, at 22:23, the Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that the protest participants were carrying out unlawful actions, although as of 23:21 the majority of the protest participants on site were peaceful.

Special means were used in the process of dispersing the assembly, including water cannons and tear gas. Tear gas capsules were used in large quantities, including in places where demonstrators were densely gathered. Information was also disseminated about the use of special means from the roofs of buildings, including in the area surrounding the Rustaveli National Theatre. Some protest participants indicated the harmful effects of special means on their health.

In the early morning hours of 4 December, from approximately 03:29, the special-purpose unit continued dispersing the assembly in the direction of Rustaveli Square. During the same period, additional police forces were deployed on Republic Square. Cases of restrictions on the movement of protest participants were documented, including restrictions on the possibility to freely leave the area, the blocking of demonstrators’ movement, and their forced movement in specific directions. According to the legal aid network of non-governmental organizations, these events were also accompanied by cases of detention.

The organization “Rights Georgia” states that a 20-year-old citizen detained on 4 December was transferred from the court building to a clinic due to the deterioration of his health condition. According to the organization, while the detained person was held in the Dighomi detention facility for approximately 35 hours, he requested medical assistance; however, he was not transferred to a clinic. According to the defence, the young person’s condition deteriorated during the court hearing, after which emergency medical assistance was called by the lawyer. The organization points to possible ill-treatment during detention and while being held in the detention facility. The position of official agencies on this matter is not presented in the statement.

Persons detained on Rustaveli Avenue were transferred to Zahesi and various temporary detention facilities. According to lawyer Lasha Tkesheladze, some of the detained persons had physical injuries. According to him, one of the detained persons visited in the Zahesi detention facility, an 18-year-old musician, had injuries on his body. According to the lawyer, the detained person indicated possible physical violence during detention. Tkesheladze stated that the young person had multiple injuries in the face and body areas.

Archil Museliantsi was arrested by the Patrol Police on charges of damaging property. According to the agency, he intentionally damaged video surveillance cameras located in Mziuri Park. The investigation is ongoing under Article 187, paragraph 1, of the Criminal Code, which provides for imprisonment of up to 5 years.

Vepkhia Kasradze was arrested on charges of organizing and leading group violence. At the moment of arrest, he was carrying out renovation work in one of the apartments; the police asked on site who Vepkhia Kasradze was, after which he identified himself and peacefully surrendered to law enforcement officers. On the same day, a search was conducted at his residential home, where family members were present. According to the family, law enforcement officers were searching for weapons, although no such items were found.

Vasil Kadzelashvili was arrested at his residential home on charges of organizing and leading group violence. According to family members, a large number of police forces participated in the operation. In parallel with the arrest, a search was conducted, within which, according to the family, law enforcement officers were searching for weapons, although no such items were found.

On 4 December, at 18:58, a search was conducted in the residential apartment of Zviad Tsetskhladze, founder of “Dafioni.” According to reports, investigative actions continued for several hours, while the lawyer was allowed into the apartment only after the decision to arrest him had been made. Law enforcement officers removed gas masks, clothing, and spray devices from the apartment. Zviad Tsetskhladze is charged with an offence provided for under Article 225 of the Criminal Code, which concerns organizing, leading, or participating in group violence.

On 4 December, in the group violence case, Nikoloz Javakhishvili, Giorgi Gorgadze, Tornike Goshadze, Irakli Miminoshvili, and Insaf Aliev were arrested in criminal proceedings. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, they were participants and perpetrators of the group violence plan, the organization of which the agency alleges against Vasil Kadzelashvili, Vepkhia Kasradze, and Zviad Tsetskhladze. The cases concerning these persons have been joined into one set of proceedings and the court will consider them together.

The police also conducted a search at the residential home of Ilia State University lecturer Saba Jajania. According to his wife, Ana Kvanchilashvili, law enforcement officers entered the apartment to conduct investigative actions. Ana Kvanchilashvili stated that, in parallel, police officers also went to her mother’s home, where, according to her, the search was preceded by a threat to force open the door. According to the family, after the incident, the mother’s health condition deteriorated and it became necessary to call emergency medical assistance. Lawyer Tamar Gurchiani wrote that the search in Saba Jajania’s apartment was conducted on the basis of an investigator’s decree, on the grounds of urgent necessity, without a witness or a lawyer. According to her, before arriving on site, the lawyer did not participate in the search process.

A search was conducted at the residential home of Ilia Ghlonti, an activist and member of “Daitove.” After the investigative action was completed, law enforcement officers sealed and removed his mobile phone and laptop. According to reports, no unlawful items were removed from the residence. “Daitove” is one of the largest Facebook groups, uniting more than 236,000 people. Protests against “Georgian Dream” are actively discussed in the group.

After Ilia Ghlonti, a search was also conducted at the residential home of the group’s founder, Nancy Woland / Kristina Botkoveli. As a result of investigative actions that continued for several hours, a gas mask, pepper spray, and a mobile phone were seized from the apartment.

Law enforcement officers entered the office of the “Nabiji” movement on Rustaveli Avenue, where a search was conducted as an urgent measure. According to disseminated footage, the investigator explained that the basis for the investigative action was an assumption that unlawful items or substances might be stored in the office.

According to party representatives, a search was conducted at the office of the “United National Movement,” during which, according to them, law enforcement officers did not present a search warrant or a court ruling and also refused to allow lawyers to enter. According to them, various items were seized from the office, including flags and saline solutions. After the search was completed, the police took five persons — Davit Gedenidze, Vakhtang Gagnidze, Irakli Ardia, Saba Birkaia, and Mishiko Janikashvili — for questioning.

Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze referred to the statement disseminated by City Hall employees, in which they distanced themselves from the suspension of negotiations on accession to the European Union, as an “attempted sabotage.” Ultimately, 229 employees signed the petition.

Kaladze stated that such actions “would not remain unanswered” and that a response would be made within the framework of the law. He made an analogous assessment on 1 December as well, when he mentioned reorganization in this context.

Non-governmental organizations expressed concern that reorganization could become a mechanism of indirect pressure and affect the freedom of expression of public servants.

On 4 December, cases of mass checks and control of citizens heading to the protest were documented in the upper concourses of the “Freedom Square” and “Rustaveli” metro stations and in the surrounding areas. According to disseminated footage, law enforcement officers stopped citizens, checked them, and opened their personal belongings, which hindered movement towards the assembly site.

According to the assessment of the Social Justice Centre, this practice goes beyond the framework of a surface check defined by law, as such actions require individual legal grounds and do not include the opening of personal belongings. The organization indicates that such actions may be assessed as a form of psychological pressure on citizens and calls on the Ministry of Internal Affairs to act within the law.

5 December 2024

Irakli Ardia, Saba Birkaia, and Vakho Gagnidze were detained during the search of the UNM office. Later, the court sentenced them to administrative detention: Irakli Ardia to 7 days, Saba Birkaia to 7 days, and Vakho Gagnidze to 14 days.

Zurab Datunashvili was detained under administrative-offence proceedings under Articles 166 and 173 of the Code of Administrative Offences, which concern petty hooliganism and disobedience to a lawful order of a police officer. According to his lawyer, during the detention and the process of transfer to the detention facility, physical violence was used against Datunashvili, as a result of which he had injuries.

On 5 December, in Kutaisi, several demonstrators were injured as a result of a scuffle with the police during the protest action. According to local media, law enforcement officers detained one minor, who was transferred to a temporary detention facility. According to reports, the detention process was accompanied by tension; protest participants objected to the removal of the minor, although the police removed him from the perimeter through the use of force and transferred him to a temporary detention facility. According to media reports, the detention was allegedly linked to the use of light pyrotechnics in the direction of police officers.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Saba Jikia was arrested on charges of assaulting the police. According to the agency, during the ongoing protest on Rustaveli Avenue, he, armed with a knife, attacked an employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs with the aim of causing injury to health. The investigation is ongoing under Article 353¹, paragraph 1, of the Criminal Code, which provides for imprisonment of up to 7 years.

Saba Skhvitaridze was arrested late at night in connection with the confrontation that took place on Freedom Square. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, he attacked employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs with a baton and inflicted a head injury; Skhvitaridze has been charged under Article 353¹, paragraph 2, of the Criminal Code, which concerns harm to the health of a police officer and provides for imprisonment from 7 to 11 years. According to information later disseminated by the detained person, he was physically abused at the Dighomi Main Division. Saba Skhvitaridze, a member of “Coalition for Change” and a political activist, was stopped at night by the Patrol Police, handcuffed, and detained. According to him, the body camera was turned on only for several seconds and was then turned off, while a family member was not given the opportunity to contact a lawyer. As he describes, after being transferred to the Tbilisi Main Division, law enforcement officers took him to the fifth floor, where, as soon as the investigators left the room, masked persons entered. The detained person says that they began physical violence, hitting him in the head and body areas, as a result of which he periodically lost consciousness. According to him, the violence later continued, including after being taken to another floor, where he again speaks of beating and pressure by masked persons. The detained person notes that his injuries were recorded, although pressure to give testimony continued. Skhvitaridze did not sign the protocol.

Anzor / Anri Kvaratskhelia was arrested at his home on 5 December. According to family members, law enforcement officers entered the house by force. According to them, during the arrest, physical force was used against Anri and his family members: they were kicked, while Anri was taken out of the house wearing only underwear. According to him, the persons present on site swore at and threatened him. The Prosecutor’s Office claims that Kvaratskhelia attacked an employee of the Special Tasks Department and threw a so-called Molotov cocktail, which provides for imprisonment from 4 to 7 years. The court imposed pre-trial detention on him as a preventive measure. According to family members and the lawyer, despite their request, law enforcement officers did not present a search or arrest warrant, while entry into the house was violent. Kvaratskhelia’s wife states that the police officers behaved aggressively, verbally abused them, and also touched them physically. According to her, one of the law enforcement officers grabbed her by the throat, demanded that she put down her phone, and, against the background of resistance, Kvaratskhelia was removed from the apartment through the use of force — in effect, dragged out.

Twenty-eight-year-old theatre and film actor Andro Chichinadze was arrested at his home on 5 December 2024. According to family members, a large number of police officers were mobilized at the residential address, while some media outlets disseminated footage of the arrest. The official charge in the case is linked to the events that developed near Parliament on the night of 29 November. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, Andro participated in the actions of a violent group, which was expressed in throwing various objects, including a stick, in the direction of law enforcement officers. He is accused of participating in group violence.

Onise Tskhadadze was arrested in Terjola, at the family home. According to relatives, a large number of police officers participated in the operation. He is currently in pre-trial detention. If the charge is proven, he faces 4 to 6 years’ imprisonment. He is accused of participating in group violence.

Guram Mirtskhulava was stopped by the police on 5 December, near his home. According to the family, four police cars were waiting for him; a search was also conducted in his residential apartment, although no items were seized as a result of the investigative actions. The Prosecutor’s Office accuses Guram Mirtskhulava of participating in group violence and throwing a heavy object at police officers. On 7 December, the court imposed pre-trial detention on him as a preventive measure. According to the defence, the main evidence of the prosecution is a 14-second video recording, which is not a continuous shot and consists of several segments. According to the lawyer’s assessment, the recording does not show that Mirtskhulava is throwing any object in the direction of the police; according to the lawyer’s assumption, the smoky object shown in the footage may be a gas capsule. According to the defence, no other evidence is presented in the case.

On 5 December, in the context of protest actions in Tbilisi, Ukrainian citizens, 27-year-old Serhii Kukharchuk and Ruslan Sivakov, were arrested; the investigation accuses them of participating in organized group violence. According to the charge, Ruslan Sivakov is accused of throwing a stone, while Serhii Kukharchuk is accused of throwing empty glass and plastic bottles. The defence denies the existence of a group element and states that the video material does not confirm intentional violence or the infliction of damage.

Jano Archaia is one of the accused persons in the so-called case of eleven persons, in which the Prosecutor’s Office accuses him of participating in group violence. According to the formulation of the charge, the case concerns events that developed during protest actions and includes episodes of violence and damage to property; however, according to the defence, the case does not reveal evidence confirming physical violence or specific damage caused by Archaia. Archaia denies the charges and states that he did not participate in organized group action.

As of 5 December, according to the Public Defender, representatives of the Ombudsperson had visited 260 detained and injured persons. Of these, 188 citizens alleged ill-treatment by the police. According to the Public Defender’s Office, visits were carried out both in temporary detention facilities and in civilian clinics in various cities of Georgia. The statement emphasizes that a significant number of detained persons speak of violence and ill-treatment.

6 December 2024

On the night of 6–7 December, the ninth night of the legitimate pro-European protest, from 00:33, the special-purpose unit began dispersing the protest action on Rustaveli Avenue and in the area surrounding Parliament. By approximately 00:40, the special-purpose unit had occupied the area in front of Parliament. Special means were used in the process, including tear gas, water cannons, and pepper spray. Cases of restrictions on the movement of protest participants were documented, including restrictions on the possibility to leave the area.

After the dispersal began, additional police forces were deployed on Republic Square. According to reports, cases of pursuit and detention were recorded against persons moving away from the protest. Throughout the night, information about 51 detained persons was received through the hotline of civil society organizations. Reports were also disseminated about the practice of checking and searching citizens at the “Freedom Square” metro station.

By 00:45, after police forces occupied other exits from the area surrounding the Opera House, protest participants moved from Rustaveli Avenue through Tarkhnishvili Street towards the embankment, where they were confronted by unknown persons armed with firearms. The faces of the attackers are clearly visible in the footage; therefore, their identification is easily possible. However, previous experience in similar cases raises doubts regarding the expectation of an effective and timely investigation.

According to the Public Defender, 19-year-old Sandro Bukia, who was detained by the police during the dispersal of the protest action on Rustaveli Avenue on 6 December, was released. According to the family, after the detention, the young man was released on the basis of a written undertaking. According to his mother, Sandro Bukia has epilepsy, about which she informed law enforcement officers on site during the detention.

According to family members, after his release the young man had injuries in various areas of the body. A detailed explanation from official agencies regarding the incident is not known at this time.

Luka Jabua was arrested on 6 December on charges of group violence in connection with the protest actions and faces 4 to 6 years’ imprisonment. According to the defence, before the court proceedings Luka did not know the persons together with whom he is accused of group action, and the case does not contain a specific description of any violent act on his part. According to the lawyer, only video recordings and investigative protocols are presented as evidence, in which no unlawful action is evident.

The Prosecutor’s Office charged Giorgi Terashvili with organizing and leading group violence, participating in group violence, and preparing an explosion. According to the agency, the charge is linked to the events that developed during the ongoing protests on Rustaveli Avenue, where the investigation points to the organization of violence and damage to property. The case has been initiated under Articles 225 and 18, 229 of the Criminal Code, which provide for imprisonment of up to 9 years. In the group violence case, together with Giorgi Terashvili, there are ten other persons: Andro Chichinadze, Onise Tskhadadze, Guram Mirtskhulava, Luka Jabua, Jano Archaia, Ruslan Sivakov, Rezo Kiknadze, Valeri Tetrashvili, Serhii Kukharchuk, and Irakli Kerashvili.

Rezo Kiknadze is accused in a criminal case of participating in group violence under Article 225 of the Criminal Code, for which he is in pre-trial detention and faces 4 to 6 years’ imprisonment. Kiknadze denies the charge. According to the defence, there are significant inconsistencies in the case, including regarding the place of arrest: official materials indicate Lisi Lake, while witnesses confirm the arrest near “University” metro station. According to the lawyer, important video evidence was not retrieved in a timely manner, as a result of which the recordings were destroyed. In the group violence case, together with Rezo Kiknadze, there are ten other persons: Andro Chichinadze, Onise Tskhadadze, Guram Mirtskhulava, Luka Jabua, Jano Archaia, Ruslan Sivakov, Giorgi Terashvili, Valeri Tetrashvili, Serhii Kukharchuk, and Irakli Kerashvili. In a letter disseminated from the detention facility, Revaz Kiknadze stated that he had started a hunger strike. According to him, during questioning, he was asked to name persons who allegedly “financed” him, including Zurab Japaridze, Elene Khoshtaria, and Nika Gvaramia. Kiknadze writes that such information does not correspond to the truth and that he refused to give false testimony. In the letter disseminated by his lawyer, Kiknadze assesses his arrest as unlawful and points to psychological pressure. According to him, it was for this reason that he made the decision to start a hunger strike.

Irakli Kerashvili is a member of the group of eleven persons arrested on charges of group violence during the protest actions. He also faces 4 to 6 years’ imprisonment. The case materials state that Irakli Kerashvili is charged with participating in group violence, “which was accompanied by violence, disorder, damage and destruction of another person’s property, the use of weapons, resistance to and assault on a representative of the authorities through the use of weapons.” The case is based mainly on reports of police officers. Irakli’s lawyer, Revaz Vacharadze, says that the case contains no evidence of any of the above-listed acts that would show that Irakli Kerashvili damaged anything or anyone, or that Irakli Kerashvili was connected to other arrested persons.

Tbilisi City Court imposed pre-trial detention as a preventive measure on eight accused persons in a case related to the protest actions. The decision was made by Judge Irakli Khuskivadze, while the state prosecution was represented by Vazha Todua and Shmagi Gobejishvili. Pre-trial detention was imposed on Vepkhia Kasradze, Vasil Kadzelashvili, Giorgi Gorgadze, Irakli Miminoshvili, Isak Aliev, Tornike Goshadze, Zviad Tsetskhladze, and Nikoloz Javakhishvili. The Prosecutor’s Office accuses them of acts provided for under Articles 225 and 18, 229 of the Criminal Code — organizing and participating in group violence, as well as preparing an explosion — which provide for imprisonment of up to 9 years.

Of the five members of the youth wing of the UNM, three were sentenced to administrative detention, and one was fined GEL 3,000. Specifically, Irakli Ardia was sentenced to 7 days’ detention, Vakho Gagnidze to 14 days’ detention, Saba Birkaia to 7 days’ detention, while Mishiko Janikashvili was fined GEL 3,000. The five members of the youth wing of the UNM were detained by the police on 4 December, when the police arrived to search the office.

7 December 2024

Tsotne Koberidze, a member of “Girchi – More Freedom” and a political activist, was detained during the dispersal of the protest action on Rustaveli Avenue, although he was released shortly afterwards. According to him, after the detention, law enforcement officers physically assaulted him, beat him, and took his phone. Koberidze also indicates incidents of swearing and degrading treatment.

Beatrice Gazdeliani was detained at the protest on 7 December. According to Beatrice Gazdeliani, she was subjected to degrading and insulting treatment at the police station. According to her, law enforcement officers were recording video, and masked officers addressed her with comments impairing her personal dignity. Gazdeliani explained that these actions were perceived as psychological pressure and an attempted blackmail.

Actor Giorgi Makharadze was reportedly physically assaulted by masked individuals during protest-related events. According to Makharadze, police officers were present and observed the violence but did not intervene. In a video circulated publicly, Makharadze addressed a police officer, stating that the officer had watched while around 30 persons beat him with batons, and called on the police to protect demonstrators. This incident was cited as one of the examples raising concerns regarding the lack of police response to violence by informal groups.

Giorgi Bregvadze was detained on 7 December, at midnight, in the vicinity of Parliament. According to him, special-purpose officers physically assaulted him and took his mobile phone during the search. According to him, after the phone was taken, the device was not returned. Bregvadze notes that the seized iPhone 15 Pro Max had been purchased by him in installments and that he still has to continue paying for it. Before being transferred to the detention facility, at the police station, he was informed that the agency was responsible only for those items that are officially recorded as belonging to the detained person at the moment of admission.

Former Deputy Minister of Economy Nikoloz Alavidze and his son, Vako Alavidze, were detained during the protest action. According to reports, the detention took place in the vicinity of Parliament.

Saba Tsimintia was detained near Tbilisi City Court. According to eyewitnesses, he was taken by the police from the area surrounding the court when he was attending Luka Jabua’s hearing together with friends. According to reports, the moment of detention was also recorded by video cameras located on site.

Nineteen-year-old Sandro Bukia, who has epilepsy, was detained on the night of 7 December. He was released shortly after the detention on the basis of a written undertaking; however, according to the family, he had multiple injuries to the head, face, and body. According to relatives, despite the fact that his mother warned law enforcement officers about his health condition, this circumstance was not taken into account. According to Bukia’s uncle, the young man became a victim of physical violence and his condition raises particular concern.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the situation at the protest action of 7 December became violent, because of which the agency used special means provided for by law. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, 48 persons were detained under Articles 166 and 173 of the Code of Administrative Offences, on allegations of disobedience to a lawful order of a police officer and petty hooliganism.

Valeri Tetrashvili is detained in the so-called case of the eleven persons on charges of participating in group violence, which provides for imprisonment from 4 to 6 years. He does not plead guilty and exercises the right to remain silent at court hearings. According to the defence, the case contains one video recording in which Tetrashvili picks up already-used pyrotechnics lying on the ground and throws it; however, according to the lawyer, the footage does not confirm violence, harm, or damage to property. The lawyer indicates that Tetrashvili was present at the protest only once and did not know the other accused persons before the court proceedings.

Tedo Abramovi was arrested on 7 December 2024. According to the investigation’s version, 4.4 grams of MDMA were seized from him during the search, because of which he was charged under Article 260 of the Criminal Code, which provides for imprisonment from 8 to 20 years or life imprisonment. Abramovi does not plead guilty. The defence states that there is no video evidence or neutral witness in the case and points to procedural violations. According to the lawyer, the items that he had with him at the time of arrest are not listed among the seized items, while the drug test did not confirm the presence of narcotic substances in Tedo’s body. According to the defence’s assessment, the case is based mainly on the statements of police officers.

On 8 December, Tbilisi City Court Judge Davit Mgeliashvili imposed two months of pre-trial detention as a preventive measure on 18-year-old Saba Jikia, who had been detained at the ongoing protest in Tbilisi. Jikia was arrested on 5 December on charges of assaulting a police officer. According to the investigation’s version, he kicked a law enforcement officer, which provides for imprisonment of up to 7 years. The defence indicates that the use of a knife does not appear in the charging decision, despite the fact that the Prosecutor’s Office emphasized this circumstance at the hearing, while the “shiny object” visible in the video has not been identified.

On the same day, the court also imposed two months of pre-trial detention on Anzor Kvaratskhelia. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, he is charged with throwing a so-called Molotov cocktail towards law enforcement officers during the protest. According to the lawyer, the arrest protocol was drawn up only after Kvaratskhelia had been taken from his home, which, in the defence’s assessment, calls into question the lawfulness of the arrest; the court did not grant the request for alternative bail.

Judge Tamar Mchedlishvili imposed pre-trial detention as a preventive measure on Jano Archaia, Onise Tskhadadze, Ukrainian citizen Ruslan Sivakov, Guram Mirtskhulava, Luka Jabua, and Andro Chichinadze. The accused were charged under Article 225 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which concerns organizing, leading, or participating in group violence. This article provides for imprisonment from 4 to 9 years.

8 December 2024

The cases of persons detained at the protest action were examined at Tbilisi City Court. “Bookshelf” participants Nika Beridze and Tengo Svanidze were released from the courtroom with verbal warnings. The judge imposed a GEL 2,300 fine on Sandro Metreveli.

Nika Beridze, a “Bookshelf” participant detained under administrative-offence proceedings, was released on the basis of a verbal warning at the hearing held at Tbilisi City Court. According to him, before the detention, he was on the sidewalk and had not received any warning from law enforcement officers. Tengo Svanidze, who had been detained under administrative-offence proceedings, was released on the basis of a verbal warning at the hearing held at Tbilisi City Court. According to him, before the detention, he was on the sidewalk and had not received any warning from law enforcement officers.

The court imposed a GEL 2,300 fine on Sandro Metreveli, who had been detained under administrative-offence proceedings. According to the lawyer, physical violence was used against him during the detention and he had injuries. According to the defence, in the case Sandro Metreveli was accused of resistance to a police officer and petty hooliganism. According to Sandro Metreveli’s lawyer, Nino Lominadze, physical violence was used against her client during the detention, as a result of which he had injuries on his body. According to the lawyer, information regarding this fact has already been provided to the investigative body.

According to relatives, Lasha Gogebashvili was detained at night after his vehicle was blocked. It later became known that he had been transferred to the Dighomi detention facility. Family members assume that the detention may be related to the episode of hanging a flag on the New Year tree near Parliament.

Giorgi Akhobadze, an active participant in the protest, was arrested on 8 December, in the early morning hours, on Tamar Mepe Avenue in Tbilisi. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, he had unlawfully purchased and stored more than 3 grams of the narcotic substance “Alpha-PVP,” which Akhobadze himself denies and states that the substance was planted by police officers. According to the defence, the search was conducted without the relevant procedural documentation and video recording, while only police officers’ testimonies are presented as evidence in the case. According to the lawyer, the court did not grant the motion to obtain video recordings. Akhobadze links the charge to political motivation and points to his active participation in protest actions.

Nika Katsia, an active participant in the protest, was arrested on 8 December. According to the lawyer, he was stopped near his home, taken to another area, and searched; however, initially, no prohibited substance was found. Katsia himself states that the narcotic substance was planted by police officers and indicates ill-treatment during the arrest. The charge against him concerns possession of a large amount of narcotic substances, which, if proven, provides for imprisonment from 8 to 20 years or life imprisonment. The court imposed pre-trial detention as a preventive measure, despite the defence’s motion for bail. According to Katsia’s friends, he was going from home to Rustaveli Avenue, to the pro-Western protest.

The court imposed pre-trial detention as a preventive measure on Revaz Kiknadze, who had been arrested within the framework of the protests. Kiknadze has been charged under Article 225 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which concerns organizing, leading, or participating in group violence and provides for imprisonment from 4 to 9 years. In a letter disseminated on 6 December, Kiknadze stated that pressure was being exerted on him and that he was being asked to give false testimony; in response, he declared a hunger strike.

According to information disseminated by the media, several civil and political activists were summoned to the criminal police for questioning as witnesses. Among those summoned for questioning were activists Makuna Gochiashvili, Ana Subeliani, and Mariam Kvaratskhelia, as well as Rondeli Foundation researcher Vato Bzhalava. According to their public explanations, the summons is connected to an ongoing investigation under Articles 225 and 239¹ of the Criminal Code of Georgia.

According to additional reports, Ani Kavtaradze, a member of “Coalition for Change” and political activist, and civil activists Albi Kordzaia and Giorgi Romelashvili were summoned for questioning on the same grounds. According to public statements, the summoned persons did not plan to appear at the police and expressed readiness to give testimony before a magistrate judge.

In addition, TikToker Tako Lochoshvili stated that she had been summoned for questioning to the criminal police after excerpts cut from her live broadcast were disseminated on social media, in the “Anti-Maidan” group. According to her, an “Imedi” journalist also disseminated those excerpts. Later, according to Lochoshvili, she was informed by the police that she had been summoned for questioning in connection with her posts.

9 December 2024

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, five persons were arrested in Batumi on charges of group violence, on the basis of a judge’s ruling. Among those arrested are Mamuka Jorbenadze, professor and dean at Batumi Art Teaching University, as well as students Guram Mikeladze, Davit Gvianidze, Giorgi Davitadze, and Andro Kakabadze.

According to the agency, the case concerns the protest action held on 3 December, during which, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ version, a verbal and physical confrontation took place inside the university building. The investigation is ongoing under Article 126¹, paragraph 1, of the Criminal Code, which provides for imprisonment of up to 2 years.

Twenty-three-year-old Daniel Mumladze was arrested on 9 December. He is charged with damaging 112 surveillance cameras, which provides for imprisonment from 3 to 6 years. The accused remains in pre-trial detention, despite his confession, remorse, and readiness to compensate the damage. According to the defence, under these circumstances, the use of detention has a punitive character. According to the case file, the accused states that damaging the cameras had not been his aim.

According to Irakli Chomakhashvili, lawyer of Saba Skhvitaridze, a member of “Coalition for Change” and political activist, Skhvitaridze is being held in Rustavi Penitentiary Establishment No. 6 under strict-regime conditions, while the cell is unsanitary. According to the lawyer, compared with other persons arrested in the same cases, the transfer of only Skhvitaridze to strict-regime conditions without any justification raises additional questions regarding the aims and proportionality of the decision. According to Chomakhashvili, after the arrest, physical violence was used against Skhvitaridze in the police building, as a result of which he has injuries. The lawyer explains that his account refers to beatings by masked persons.

10 December 2024

Judge Tamar Mchedlishvili imposed 2 months of pre-trial detention as a preventive measure on former journalist Nika Katsia. Nika Katsia was charged under Article 260, paragraph 6(a), of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which concerns the purchase and possession of a particularly large quantity of narcotic substances. If convicted under this article, the penalty provides for imprisonment from 8 to 20 years or life imprisonment.

According to lawyer Nino Lominadze, law enforcement officers arrested Katsia near his home, transferred him to another location, and searched him; however, according to her, no prohibited substance was seized as a result of the search. According to relatives, at the time of his arrest, Nika Katsia was on his way to the ongoing protest on Rustaveli Avenue.

Doctor Giorgi Akhobadze was placed in pre-trial detention for 2 months as a preventive measure by Tbilisi City Court Judge Lela Maridashvili. He was charged under Article 260, paragraph 6, of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which concerns the unlawful purchase and possession of a particularly large quantity of narcotic substances. If convicted under this article, the penalty provides for imprisonment from 8 to 20 years or life imprisonment. According to the defence, Giorgi Akhobadze does not plead guilty and alleges that police officers planted the narcotic substance on him during the arrest. According to the lawyers, no video evidence is presented in the case, despite the fact that, under the applicable standard, video recording of the search process is mandatory. Giorgi Akhobadze was arrested on the night of 7–8 December, while returning home from the protest action held on Rustaveli Avenue.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, in the context of protest actions, V.T., born in 1997, was arrested and is accused of participating in group violence. According to the agency, the accused did not comply with law enforcement officers and threw various objects. The investigation is ongoing under Article 225, paragraph 2, of the Criminal Code, which provides for imprisonment of up to 6 years.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the investigation into the events ongoing on Rustaveli Avenue continues under several articles. Approximately 40 persons have been arrested under the Criminal Code.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, on 10 December, on the 13th night of the protest, 6 persons were detained under administrative-offence proceedings, as the agency confirmed to “Publika.” According to available data, in connection with the ongoing protest actions from 28 November to 10 December, approximately 40 persons have been arrested under the Criminal Code, while more than 400 persons have been detained under administrative-offence proceedings