Judge Manuchar Tsatsua of Tbilisi City Court found Duta Javakhishvili, a person with a disability, liable for an administrative offence and imposed a fine of GEL 5,000. The Ministry of Internal Affairs alleged that Javakhishvili had blocked the roadway on 7 February.
In the case of persons with disabilities, the law provides for a GEL 5,000 fine instead of administrative detention. According to Duta Javakhishvili, the decision will be appealed.
Judge Tornike Kapanadze delivered a decision in the case of two demonstrators, Nestan Mamatsashvili and Natia Gopodze. The case concerned the alleged “artificial blocking” of a roadway on 31 January, during one of the Saturday marches.
The proceedings against Mamatsashvili and Gopodze were consolidated and heard jointly. The court found both demonstrators liable for an administrative offenceThe court found both demonstrators liable for an administrative offence. Since Mamatsashvili is the mother of minor children, administrative detention could not be imposed on her; instead, the court imposed a fine of GEL 5,000. Natia Gopodze was sentenced to two days of administrative detention.
Tbilisi City Court fined civil activist Tamuna Kirtava 5,000 GEL in relation to the alleged blocking of a road on 31 January, during the “Saturday March”. The decision was delivered by Judge Davit Makaradze.
The case was examined under administrative proceedings. After the representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs learned that Kirtava has an 11-year-old child and that the law did not allow the use of administrative detention against her, the Ministry requested the court to impose a fine.
“[…] The fact that I am sitting here is already an injustice. You may even send me to detention. Your decision does not have decisive importance. I am sitting here because I stood at a protest,” Kirtava told the judge.
Ia Melitauri, an activist participating in the ongoing protest, was fined 2,500 GEL by the court. The decision was delivered by Judge Tornike Kapanadze of Tbilisi City Court. The administrative offence case against Melitauri concerns a social media post that contained obscene language and mentioned the surname “Salukvadze”. According to the position of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the post was directed at police officer Lasha Salukvadze.
The case was examined under Article 173(2) of the Code of Administrative Offences, which concerns verbal insult of a police officer and provides for a fine ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 GEL or administrative detention of up to 60 days.
According to the defence, the case did not establish that the disputed post was published by Ia Melitauri. In addition, the defence lawyer argued that the post referred only to the surname “Salukvadze”, without a first name, status, or other identifying details, and therefore it was not proven that the text was specifically directed at police officer Lasha Salukvadze.
Activist Mariam Mekantsishvili was imposed a fine of 4,000 GEL on the grounds of insulting municipal assembly member Beka Davituliani. The decision was taken by Judge Tornike Kochkiani.
The incident, in relation to which the Ministry of Internal Affairs initiated administrative proceedings, occurred on April 9. At the April 9 memorial, Meqanqishvili referred to the MP as a “traitor to the country,” a “Russian slave,” and a “betrayer.”
In response to the demonstrator’s protest chants, Davituliani repeatedly instructed her to move away, after which he became irritated, grabbed her, and forcibly removed her from the area.
Civil activist Giorgi Akhobadze shared information on social media and published a photo, according to which the National Bureau of Enforcement notified him that his bank accounts had been placed under seizure. According to the document, the amount subject to seizure is 5,350 GEL.
The activist has not provided any further explanation; however, in light of existing practice, it is likely that the case concerns fines related to allegations of blocking a road. Recently, a number of similar cases have been documented, where activists had not been informed in advance about the fines and learned of them only after seizure measures were imposed on their bank accounts.In the same context, writer Beka Kurkhuli also wrote on social media: “Our ‘honourable government’ placed my bank account under seizure while I am in the combat zone in the Donetsk region, in the war in Ukraine. First, they fined me 35,000 GEL for standing in my own city, on my own Rustaveli Avenue, and for defending the children they mercilessly targeted and beat; then, as soon as they found out that I was at war, they imposed the seizure,” Kurkhuli wrote.
The civil activist, who is an active participant in the protest rallies, writes on social media that a postal courier delivered to her part of the seizure orders, which are related to the non-payment of fines imposed on her.
According to a statement she published on social media, a postal courier delivered several seizure orders to her, related to fines imposed on her. She reports that she received six such orders in one day, while the total number amounts to 21, each concerning a fine of 5,000 GEL. The activist indicates that the sanctions are likely linked to her participation in protest actions and allegations of blocking a roadway.
On April 15, the bank accounts of three civil activists – Natia Megrelishvili, Natia Artmeladze, and Tamta Chkhaidze were seized for non-payment of fines, of which none of them had been notified. The activists reported the seizure on social media.
Tamta Chkhaidze, the spouse of “prisoner of conscience” Giorgi Okmelashvili and an active participant in protests, has been fined a total of 25,000 GEL. In comments to Batumelebi, she stated that she does not intend to pay the fines and has appealed the seizure. Giorgi Okmelashvili, a participant in protests against the so-called “Russian law,” was sentenced on May 17, 2024 to 5 years of imprisonment on charges of insulting a police officer.
Under Article 174¹ of the Code of Administrative Offences, “artificial blocking of the road” constitutes a violation of the rules governing the organization and conduct of assemblies and demonstrations. Since February 7, 2025, the fine for “artificially blocking the road” has increased tenfold to 5,000 GEL. Hundreds of participants in pro-European protests have reportedly been issued such fines, with the cumulative amount reaching several million GEL. Where fines remain unpaid, enforcement measures include the seizure of bank accounts. Multiple such cases have already been documented.
The bank accounts of Elene Akhobadze, the mother of “prisoner of conscience” Saba Skhvitaridze, have been placed under seizure. The information was disclosed by Akhobadze herself via social media. “Yesterday, on the Feast of the Annunciation, during Holy Week, this ‘religious’ government, without any prior notice, imposed a seizure on my accounts over a non-existent fine. I have not received any notification or fine,” she wrote.
Under Article 174¹ of the Code of Administrative Offences, “artificial blocking of the road” constitutes a violation of the rules governing the organization and conduct of assemblies and demonstrations. Since February 7 of last year, the fine for “artificially blocking the road” has increased tenfold to 5,000 GEL. Hundreds of participants in pro-European protests have reportedly been issued such fines, with the cumulative amount reaching several million GEL. Where fines remain unpaid, enforcement measures include the seizure of bank accounts. Multiple such cases have already been documented.
On 22 October 2025, Judge Nino Enukidze of the Tbilisi City Court found civic activist Giorgi Eliashvili liable for an administrative offence on the grounds of failure to comply with a lawful order of the police and imposed an administrative fine of GEL 2,000.
According to available information, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia alleged that Eliashvili had artificially obstructed a roadway and failed to comply with a lawful police order, namely to leave the road. However, the court established that Eliashvili had not blocked the road and discontinued the proceedings in that part. Notwithstanding this finding, the court nevertheless held him liable for disobedience and imposed the fine.
Proceedings commenced in October 2025 and were postponed on several occasions due to the failure to present evidence. The examination of evidence was concluded in November 2025. Video footage submitted by the defence indicates that, at the time of detention, Eliashvili was standing on the curb and was subsequently moved onto the roadway by police officers. Eliashvili was detained on 22 October 2025.In a social media statement, his lawyer, Boris Chele Kurua, questioned the legal basis for the finding of disobedience, noting that the court itself determined that Eliashvili had not been engaged in the conduct (road blocking) which he was allegedly ordered to cease.
