Damage to equipment
While covering the protest on October 4, 2025, the online media outlet Mauwkebeli lost its drone. “The drone suddenly malfunctioned during filming, as happened with other media outlets,” a journalist from Mauwkebeli told MediaChecker.
Project 64 and Netgazeti also lost control of their drones that day.
At the October 4, 2025 rally, “Netgazeti” lost its drone. According to the information released by the publication, they lost their drone on Rustaveli Avenue. “Netgazeti’s” drones, as well as those of other media outlets, were allegedly specially shot down on Rustaveli Avenue, where we were trying to film the demonstration,” the publication said in the information released.
On the same day, “Project 64” and “Mauwkebeli” lost their drones too.
Project 64 lost its drone camera during the October 4, 2025 rally. Project 64 founder and journalist Giorgi Gogua wrote on social media that the camera was filming near the parliament building when it suddenly started flying erratically and lost control.
“I was only controlling the direction of the camera, but I couldn’t control the trajectory of the drone. The last shot before the signal was lost was somewhere from Rustaveli to Mtatsminda. The flight history on the map shows that the drone flew towards the airport.”
On the same day, the media outlets Netgazeti and Mauwyebeli lost control of their drones.
On October 4, 2025, a large-scale protest rally in Tbilisi witnessed numerous cases of verbal and physical attacks on media representatives, obstruction of their work, and damage to equipment. For the first time during this rally, some online media outlets were unable to operate their Drone cameras, likely due to an artificial disruption.
Publicly reported incidents:
According to information disseminated by “Netgazeti”, they lost their drone on Rustaveli Avenue. “Netgazeti’s” drones, as well as those of other media outlets, were allegedly specially shot down on Rustaveli Avenue, where we were trying to film a demonstration,” the publication said in the information.
According to information, the publication “Mautskebeli” also lost its drone. During filming, the drone suddenly malfunctioned, like other media outlets,” a journalist from “Maudereli” told MediaChecker.
On October 4, 2025, during the local government elections (which the opposition and a large part of society consider illegitimate), numerous cases of obstruction of work, threats, and verbal and physical abuse against media representatives were recorded.
Publicly reported incidents:
4. At Akhaltsikhe polling station No. 6, the chairman of the precinct commission restricted journalist Nuka Stepnadze of the publication “Samkhretis Karibche” from filming at the polling station. He told the journalist that he could only film for 10 minutes. According to the publication, the chairman of the commission only allowed the journalist to continue working after the district commission contacted him and explained the rules.
5. In Batumi, at one of the polling stations, a journalist from “TV Pirveli” journalist, Nato Gogelia, was verbally confronted by agitators from the “Georgian Dream”. They first tried to prevent him from filming by covering his camera with their hands, and then cursed at the journalist. Their irritation followed the journalist’s attempt to find out why they were standing at the polling station with lists and why they were registering voters.
On October 1, 2025, a bailiff of the Tbilisi City Court confiscated the phone of Natali Jakhutashvili, a journalist for the TV company “Formula”, and returned it broken.
The incident occurred when the trial of opposition activist Gela Khasaia in the City Court ended. The imposition of imprisonment as a preventive measure for Gela Khasaia was followed by a confrontation in court. Court bailiffs physically assaulted the detainee’s friends. The journalist was trying to cover these processes.
According to her, after the bailiff confiscated her phone, she tried to return it for 15 minutes. In the end, the bailiff handed over the broken phone.
This is not the first time that media representatives have been targeted by violence in court. With the amendments to the Law on Common Courts, starting from June 30, it is forbidden to take photos/videos and make audio recordings in courtrooms, corridors or courtyards. After the new rule came into effect, media outlets applied to the Council of Justice – a legally established body – for the right to record, but so far none of them have received a response.
Before the adoption of the repressive legislation, independent media representatives were illegally hindered in the performance of their professional duties in court buildings. Since the amendment, the bailiff’s office has been using disproportionate and unjustified force, including against the media, to enforce the repressive legislation.
On February 2, at a peaceful protest near Tbilisi Mall 11 journalists were unlawfully prevented from doing their jobs.
Media Advocacy Coalition and the Charter of Journalistic Ethics have responded to the injuries sustained by media representatives while covering the peaceful protest near “Tbilisi Mall.” The organizations are calling on international bodies to “properly assess the dangerous actions and systemic violence by law enforcement officers who have acted beyond the framework of the Constitution and the law.“
On December 7, in Tbilisi, on Besiki Street, masked individuals violently attacked the TV Pirveli crew, journalist Maka Chikhladze and cameraman Giorgi Shetsiruli. The incident occurred while the crew was broadcasting live. They were reporting on how masked individuals were ambushing and attacking citizens. In the video footage from the scene, an unknown masked individual is seen sneaking up behind Maka Chikhladze, grabbing her, and throwing her to the ground. Cameraman Giorgi Shetsiruli was kicked in the head. The crew required medical assistance after the attack. “They took the microphone, took the camera, hit both of us, and shouted, ‘What are you reporting, you bastards?’ The police were standing right here, at this spot, when it happened. They failed to react and just walked away. We were attacked and beaten. They’re marauders in black masks,” said Maka Chikhladze.
On December 7, a journalist from Palitranews who was filming the dispersal of the protest with a mobile phone, was obstructed by riot police. In a video footage shared by Mtavari Arkhi, the journalist states that they were broadcasting live when the officer seized their phone and threw it away. At the time, the journalist was wearing an identification badge clearly indicating their media affiliation.
In the early hours of December 7 Mtavari Arkhi journalist and host Beka Korshia was detained during a protest. According to the TV channel, Korshia was physically assaulted during the arrest. “Beka Korshia was detained on Elbakidze, where the riot police unit were simply moving. His arrest was entirely unlawful. Afterwards, he was kept out of contact for four hours, and we were unable to reach him or gather any information. We were also denied the opportunity to exercise his right to legal defense,” Korshia’s lawyer stated.
At the protest, riot police verbally harassed Mtavari Arkhi journalist Dea Mamiseishvili.
On the morning of December 7, the JRC filming crew was covering the encirclement of peaceful protestors and the violent arrest of demonstrators by police forces when members of the riot police obstructed their work and attempted to detain them. JRC has released video footage of the incident.
On December 7, Caucasian Knot correspondent Beslan Kmuzov was detained by riot police while reporting. Kmuzov said he was detained after taking a photo of riot police who were aligned on Shota Rustaveli avenue. Riot police confiscated Kmuzov’s phone. The court imposed a fine of 2,000 GEL on the journalist and he was released on December 9.
On the morning of December 7, the JRC filming crew was covering the encirclement of peaceful protestors and the violent arrest of demonstrators by police forces when members of the special forces obstructed their work and attempted to detain them. JRC has released video footage of the incident.
