At the Tbilisi City Court, three hearings were held in cases related to the alleged obstruction of a roadway and pavement during protest actions near Parliament. In these cases, the court applied different sanctions – one individual was subjected to administrative detention, while two were issued verbal warnings.
Mariam Madzgharashvili was subjected to 2 days of administrative detention by Judge Nino Enukidze. Nika Beridze and Mikheil Nakheuri were issued verbal warnings by Judge Tornike Kapanadze.
Paata (Tato) Alaverdashvili, a civil activist and psychotherapist, was subjected to 4 days of administrative detention by Judge Manuchar Tsatsua.
The case differs from the majority of recent administrative proceedings brought against participants in protest actions – Alaverdashvili was held liable for an administrative offence involving the alleged insult of a police officer. The case concerns an alleged gesture of showing a middle finger to a police officer. The court held several hearings before delivering its decision.
According to Alaverdashvili, on 8 March, during a protest in front of Parliament, he noticed an individual in civilian clothing filming demonstrators. He perceived the person as a provocateur, began recording himself, and called on the individual to lower the car window. According to his account, when the individual did not do so, he expressed dissatisfaction through a gesture. It later became known that the individual was a police officer.
Paata Alaverdashvili was detained late at night on 9 March while returning from a protest, and an administrative offence report was drawn up against him. According to Davit Chkheidze, while Alaverdashvili was travelling in a vehicle together with Chkheidze’s family, patrol police stopped the vehicle and conducted an alcohol test. In parallel, Alaverdashvili was removed from the vehicle and detained on the spot on the grounds of allegedly insulting a police officer, while Chkheidze himself was taken for narcological testing.
Sesili Butkhuzi was subjected to 3 days of administrative detention on the grounds of standing on a pavement. The decision was issued on 25 March by Judge Manuchar Tsatsua.
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Butkhuzi was accused of creating an obstruction to pedestrian movement by standing on the pavement in front of Parliament on 18 December 2025. The first hearing in her case was held on 29 December 2025, after which the proceedings were postponed multiple times.
Representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Butkhuzi’s lawyer, and Butkhuzi herself were not present at the hearing. She learned of the decision in the courtyard of the court, after which she contacted the emergency service and informed law enforcement of her location. She will spend the next 3 days in a temporary detention isolator in Baghdati.
Administrative proceedings against citizens in relation to sidewalk protests commenced following legislative amendments adopted by Georgian Dream on 12 December 2025. The amendments were adopted following accelerated parliamentary consideration over a three-day period. As a result of these amendments, protest activity on sidewalks was, in effect, also prohibited. For a first violation, the legislation provides for administrative detention for a period of up to 15 days (up to 20 days in the case of an organizer), while a repeated violation may result in the imposition of criminal liability. According to the assessment of Transparency International Georgia, “the detention of an individual for standing on a sidewalk, even under administrative procedure, let alone the imposition of criminal punishment cannot withstand any criticism when assessed against the standards of freedom of assembly guaranteed by the Constitution of Georgia and by international human rights instruments.”
On 25 March, by a decision of the Tbilisi City Court, Lasha Katsia, an active participant in ongoing protests, was subjected to 4 days of administrative detention. The decision was issued by Judge Tornike Kapanadze. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, he allegedly blocked a roadway on Rustaveli Avenue on 7 February.
Lasha Katsia is the brother of Nika Katsia, who was held in pre-trial detention from 7 December 2024 until 3 September 2025, when the court found him not guilty and ordered his release in the courtroom. Nika Katsia stated that his detention was related to his participation in protest activities.
On 16 October 2025, Georgian Dream adopted legislative amendments to the Criminal Code of Georgia and the Code of Administrative Offences of Georgia, which significantly restrict the forms through which demonstrators may express peaceful protest. Under these amendments, Article 174¹ of the Code of Administrative Offences was supplemented with paragraph 10, providing that participants in assemblies and demonstrations shall be subject to mandatory administrative detention for certain acts. These include, inter alia, covering one’s face with a mask or other means, possessing tear gas or similar substances, intentionally creating obstacles to pedestrian or vehicular movement, installing temporary structures, or partially or fully blocking a roadway.
A violation of this provision is punishable by administrative detention for up to 15 days, or up to 20 days in the case of an organizer. The amendments also introduced changes to the Criminal Code of Georgia, providing that the repeated commission of the above-mentioned acts within a one-year period may result in criminal liability.
On 25 March, Amiran Urushadze, a sumo commentator and civil activist, was subjected to 4 days of administrative detention on the grounds of allegedly blocking a roadway. The decision was issued by Judge Tornike Kapanadze.
According to Urushadze’s lawyer, Mikheil Zakareishvili, the only evidence presented by the Ministry of Internal Affairs shows that Urushadze briefly stepped onto the roadway for a few seconds in order to listen to a police officer’s statement, after which he returned to the pavement.
According to the lawyer: “He stepped onto the roadway to listen to the police officer, not to block the road. Despite this, Judge Tornike Kapanadze imposed 4 days of detention. The reasoning for the decision is not known at this stage – the ruling has only recently been served, and its justification will become clear upon review.”
On 16 October 2025, Georgian Dream adopted legislative amendments to the Criminal Code of Georgia and the Code of Administrative Offences of Georgia, which significantly restrict the forms through which demonstrators may express peaceful protest. Under these amendments, Article 174¹ of the Code of Administrative Offences was supplemented with paragraph 10, providing that participants in assemblies and demonstrations shall be subject to mandatory administrative detention for certain acts. These include, inter alia, covering one’s face with a mask or other means, possessing tear gas or similar substances, intentionally creating obstacles to pedestrian or vehicular movement, installing temporary structures, or partially or fully blocking a roadway.
A violation of this provision is punishable by administrative detention for up to 15 days, or up to 20 days in the case of an organizer. The amendments also introduced changes to the Criminal Code of Georgia, providing that the repeated commission of the above-mentioned acts within a one-year period may result in criminal liability.
ზუგდიდში დააკავეს სამოქალაქო აქტივისტი შალვა ესართია. დაკავების კადრები ზუგდიდის პროევროპული აქციების მონაწილემ, მარიამ სიჭინავამ გაავრცელა. ვიდეოში ჩანს, რომ რამდენიმე პოლიციელი ესართიას ძალით სვამს მანქანაში, დაკავების საფუძვლის განმარტების გარეშე.
სამოქალაქო ორგანიზაცია – „სამოქალაქო სოლიდარობის ფონდი“, რომელიც ზუგდიდში მუშაობს, 17 მარტის დაკავებასთან დაკავშირებულ გარემოებებზე ავრცელებს ინფორმაციას. ორგანიზაციის ცნობით, 17 მარტს შალვა ესართია ავტომობილით გადაადგილებისას ქვეითისთვის გზის არდათმობის გამოგონილი მიზეზით გააჩერეს. გაჩერებისთანავე შალვა ესართიამ კატეგორიულად უარყო სამართალდარღვევის ფაქტი, ვინაიდან, მისი პოზიციით, წესები არ დაურღვევია და ქვეითის მოძრაობისთვის დაბრკოლება არ შეუქმნია.
შინაგან საქმეთა სამინისტროს ინფორმაციით, ესართია ადმინისტრაციულ სამართალდარღვევათა კოდექსის 173-ე მუხლის საფუძველზე დააკავეს, რაც პოლიციელისადმი დაუმორჩილებლობას გულისხმობს. აღნიშნული მუხლი ითვალისწინებს ჯარიმას 2000-დან 5000 ლარამდე ან ადმინისტრაციულ პატიმრობას 60 დღემდე ვადით.
On 16 March, according to information disseminated on social media, activist Giorgi Mumladze was found liable for an administrative offence in connection with the obstruction of a roadway and was placed in administrative detention for a period of four days.
On 16 October 2025, Georgian Dream adopted legislative amendments to the Criminal Code of Georgia and the Code of Administrative Offences of Georgia, which significantly restrict the forms through which demonstrators may express peaceful protest. Under these amendments, Article 174¹ of the Code of Administrative Offences was supplemented with paragraph 10, providing that participants in assemblies and demonstrations shall be subject to mandatory administrative detention for certain acts. These include, inter alia, covering one’s face with a mask or other means, possessing tear gas or similar substances, intentionally creating obstacles to pedestrian or vehicular movement, installing temporary structures, or partially or fully blocking a roadway.
A violation of this provision is punishable by administrative detention for up to 15 days, or up to 20 days in the case of an organizer. The amendments also introduced changes to the Criminal Code of Georgia, providing that the repeated commission of the above-mentioned acts within a one-year period may result in criminal liability.
On 9 March, Judge Tornike Kapanadze of the Tbilisi City Court found Saba Gelashvili liable for an administrative offence related to standing on a sidewalk and subjected him to four days of administrative detention. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia alleged that on 18 December he obstructed pedestrian movement on the sidewalk.
Saba Gelashvili is a former champion of the television program “Book Shelf” (წიგნების თარო). The program responded to the decision with a public statement criticizing Gelashvili’s detention. The statement described the detention of individuals for standing on a sidewalk as “a continuation of a farce” and expressed solidarity with Gelashvili and other detained young people.
Administrative proceedings against citizens in relation to sidewalk protests commenced following legislative amendments adopted by Georgian Dream on 12 December 2025. The amendments were adopted following accelerated parliamentary consideration over a three-day period. As a result of these amendments, protest activity on sidewalks was, in effect, also prohibited. For a first violation, the legislation provides for administrative detention for a period of up to 15 days (up to 20 days in the case of an organizer), while a repeated violation may result in the imposition of criminal liability. According to the assessment of Transparency International Georgia, “the detention of an individual for standing on a sidewalk, even under administrative procedure, let alone the imposition of criminal punishment cannot withstand any criticism when assessed against the standards of freedom of assembly guaranteed by the Constitution of Georgia and by international human rights instruments.” The administrative provisions related to the so-called “sidewalk cases” are currently being challenged before the Constitutional Court of Georgia. The constitutional complaint seeks a declaration of unconstitutionality of the relevant regulations, which provide for the imposition of fines or administrative detention on individuals for standing on a sidewalk or roadway.
On the night of 9 March, Davit Chkheidze, an active participant in ongoing protests, was stopped by police and taken to the Tabukashvili Police Department for drug testing. According to Chkheidze, he was returning from a protest by car with his family when several patrol units stopped him. He was initially subjected to a breathalyzer (alcohol) test, which returned a negative result. Police subsequently conducted an on-site drug test and indicated a positive result, following which Chkheidze was transferred to the police station for further examination. Subsequent laboratory testing did not confirm the presence of narcotic substances, and Chkheidze was released. However, biological samples taken from him were forwarded for additional forensic analysis. Several days later, it was confirmed through expert examination that no traces of narcotic substances were detected in Chkheidze’s system.
Davit Chkheidze is a diplomat with extensive professional experience. In February 2025, he left public service and has since been participating in pro-European protests. He previously held positions in various state institutions and possessed a diplomatic passport.According to Chkheidze, another protest participant, Paata Alaverdashvili, was in the vehicle with him at the time. He stated that law enforcement officers removed Alaverdashvili from the vehicle and detained him on the spot on charges of verbally insulting a police officer. Paata Alaverdashvili was placed in administrative detention. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia alleges that he verbally insulted a police officer. He was detained under Article 173(2) of the Code of Administrative Offences, which concerns the verbal insult of a law enforcement officer and provides for a fine ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 GEL or administrative detention for up to 60 days. According to Alaverdashvili’s lawyer, Teo Zakaraishvili, he was verbally abused at the police station following his detention. She stated that no physical violence was observed and that the detainee is in good condition.
On 9 March, the Tbilisi City Court subjected Zviad Mzhavanadze, an employee of the Media Development Foundation, to four days of administrative detention in connection with an administrative offence case initiated for a protest on the sidewalk. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia alleged that Mzhavanadze created an obstruction to pedestrian movement on the sidewalk. The case was examined by Judge Tornike Kapanadze. According to Mzhavanadze, he did not breach public order and his actions did not hinder movement. He stated that during the court hearing it was not substantiated how his conduct interfered with others.
According to Mzhavanadze’s lawyer, Mariam Jikia, the defence intends to appeal the decision. The lawyer further noted concerns regarding both the process of identifying the individual through the use of video surveillance and the administrative offence provision applied in the case, the constitutionality of which is currently being challenged before the Constitutional Court of Georgia.Administrative proceedings against citizens in relation to sidewalk protests commenced following legislative amendments adopted by Georgian Dream on 12 December 2025. The amendments were adopted following accelerated parliamentary consideration over a three-day period. As a result of these amendments, protest activity on sidewalks was, in effect, also prohibited. For a first violation, the legislation provides for administrative detention for a period of up to 15 days (up to 20 days in the case of an organizer), while a repeated violation may result in the imposition of criminal liability. According to the assessment of Transparency International Georgia, “the detention of an individual for standing on a sidewalk, even under administrative procedure, let alone the imposition of criminal punishment cannot withstand any criticism when assessed against the standards of freedom of assembly guaranteed by the Constitution of Georgia and by international human rights instruments.”
