On 17 March, human rights defender Ucha Nanuashvili wrote on social media that he had been summoned for questioning at the State Security Service. According to him, the summons is related to his communication with an expert operating under the OSCE“Moscow Mechanism”.
Nanuashvili stated that an investigator from the State Security Service contacted him following a statement he made on television. In this context, “POSTV Analitika” disseminated a video on social media claiming that Ucha Nanuashvili had allegedly coordinated the report prepared under the Moscow Mechanism. Nanuashvili himself notes that this circumstance became the basis for summoning him for questioning.
Attention was also drawn to this issue during a briefing held by Irakli Kobakhidze on 16 March. In the context of the video disseminated by “POSTV”, a journalist from the pro-government channel “Rustavi 2” asked Irakli Kobakhidze about the possible role of Ucha Nanuashvili and inquired how noteworthy he considered this information. In response, Kobakhidze stated that “it would not be surprising for agents to be in coordination, and this is also evident from the published text; of course, there would have been full coordination with local agents.” Against the backdrop of these developments, Ucha Nanuashvili was summoned for questioning at the State Security Service the following day.
On 18 March, Ucha Nanuashvili was questioned before a magistrate judge. According to Nanuashvili, he provided the OSCE expert with information on the situation in the country and on human rights reports, which, in his assessment, constitutes an attempt to intimidate civil society in order to restrict future communication with international organisations. He further stated that the State itself had an obligation to cooperate with the expert, while paragraph 6 of the “Moscow Mechanism” requires participating States to refrain from any actions against individuals cooperating with the expert — a requirement which, according to Nanuashvili, has been violated.
The case is linked to the report prepared under the OSCE Moscow Mechanism, which was published on 12 March. The report provides a detailed account of the situation in Georgia since 2024, including democratic backsliding, the deterioration of human rights, and the persecution and repression of protest participants and the opposition. The “Moscow Mechanism” was invoked on 29 January by 24 OSCE participating States, leading to the establishment of an independent fact-finding mission, which prepared the report within a limited timeframe.
For the second day, law enforcement officers have been subjecting individuals to searches and identity checks in the vicinity of the Parliament of Georgia. According to the authorities, these measures are being carried out for the purposes of ensuring security and pursuant to the Law on Assemblies and Manifestations. According to law enforcement officials, individuals who refuse to undergo a superficial search will be denied access to the area surrounding the Parliament and the protest site.
According to citizens, the checks are being conducted without the preparation of a written record and are carried out on an oral basis. One individual reportedly requested that a formal record be drawn up; however, law enforcement officers indicated that, in such circumstances, the individual would not be permitted to enter the protest area.
On 12 March, a notable deployment of law enforcement personnel was observed on Rustaveli Avenue, in the area surrounding the Parliament building, where officers were conducting checks of individuals participating in a public assembly. According to information disseminated on social media by photographer Giorgi Mosiashvili, law enforcement officials were reportedly subjecting all individuals carrying bags to searches.Participants in the assembly indicated that such measures were carried out in the absence of clearly articulated legal grounds or prior explanation, raising concerns regarding compliance with applicable standards. It was further reported that officers were inspecting bags with the apparent purpose of identifying and preventing the entry of tents into the area surrounding the Parliament, thereby potentially restricting the ability of demonstrators to sustain their presence at the site.
On 12 March, activist Darejan Tskhvitariia, who had been spending nights in a tent near the Parliament of Georgia as part of an ongoing protest, stated that her tent caught fire during the night. According to her account, at approximately 3:00 a.m. she heard an unidentified individual shouting that something was burning, and upon going outside, she observed that her tent was on fire. Tskhvitariia expressed the view that the fire may have been set in order to remove the tents. She further stated that, following the incident, her personal belongings were taken from the tent.
According to Tskhvitariia, law enforcement officers arrived at the scene and officers from the Old Tbilisi district police were called. She stated that police officers requested that she leave the area, forcibly took her mobile phone, and removed her from the site using physical force. Notwithstanding the above, she indicated her intention to continue the protest.According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, an investigation has been initiated under Article 188(2) of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which concerns damage to or destruction of property through negligent handling of fire or another source of increased danger.
Following public statements and the publication of two critical reports concerning potential Iranian influence in Georgia, the State Security Service of Georgia (SSG) called several individuals in for questioning in connection with an investigation opened under Article 319 of the Criminal Code of Georgia. The investigation concerns potential assistance to a foreign state, foreign organization, or an entity under foreign control in activities directed against the interests of the state.
As part of the investigation, opposition politician and historian Gubaz Sanikidze was interviewed before a magistrate judge on 7 March. On 8 March, former Minister of Defence and head of Civic Idea Tina Khidasheli, as well as co-author of a report by the Hudson Institute and project manager at the Laboratory for the Study of the Soviet Past, Giorgi Kandelaki, were interviewed at the Tbilisi City Court. During the same period, former Chief of the General Staff, Major General Vakhtang Kapanadze, was also called in for questioning and interviewed as a witness by the SSG. Former Member of Parliament Givi Targamadze was likewise called in; he stated that he is currently outside Georgia and will provide written responses or respond upon his return.
The questioning related to public statements made in televised broadcasts and to research concerning Iran. On 3 March, the Hudson Institute published a report asserting that the Islamic Republic of Iran is “systematically and in an organized manner” expanding its influence in Georgia. The report highlights several areas of concern, including developments in the Kvemo Kartli region and an educational institution operating in Gardabani without proper authorization. The issue of Iranian influence is also addressed in a report by Civic Idea, which examines the import of Iranian oil and petroleum products into Georgia and the potential links of companies involved in this activity.
Following the publication of these reports and related public statements, on 5 and 6 March, the Mayor of Tbilisi and Secretary General of Georgian Dream, Kakha Kaladze, publicly criticized Tina Khidasheli and Giorgi Kandelaki. He characterized their statements and research as “hostile activity against the country” and stated that “the relevant authorities should take an interest.” According to Kaladze, such statements undermine relations between Georgia and the United States.
