Intimidation/Threats

Journalist Koba Partenadze Threatened with Physical Violence

On August 10, 2026, Adjara Public Broadcaster’s journalist Koba Partenadze posted a video on his Facebook page documenting threats of physical violence against him.

“Every evening I encounter people who insult me, threaten me, and physically touch me. There have been several attacks on me in recent days… How many times do I have to be attacked for this to no longer be considered just an ‘incident’? How many times do I have to go to the police before someone recognizes that this is a systemic problem?” Partenadze wrote, calling on law enforcement agencies to respond.

Partenadze told Adjara Times that he believed the attacks may have been linked to his professional activities, noting that one of the attackers had also referred to Adjara Television using obscene and insulting language.

The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics called on the Ministry of Internal Affairs to urgently investigate the repeated threats against Partenadze and take appropriate measures to ensure his safety.

On August 11, the Ministry of Internal Affairs announced that two individuals had been detained in Batumi in connection with violence and threats against Partenadze. According to the Ministry, the investigation is being conducted under Articles 126 (violence) and 151 (threat) of the Criminal Code.

Journalists from “Adjara Times” and “Batumelebi” Obstructed from Performing Their Duties in Khelvachauri

On May 7, in Khelvachauri, Sulkhan Meskhidze, the founder of Adjara Times, and Lela Dumbadze, a journalist for Batumelebi, were obstructed from performing their professional duties, allegedly by public officials. The individuals verbally abused the journalists. According to the journalists, there were also threats and attempts at physical retaliation.

The journalists were covering a meeting between the parents of prisoners of conscience and local residents.

According to Batumelebi, among the aggressive individuals was Jumber (Genadi) Diasamidze, the deputy director of the Khelvachauri Municipality Sanitation and Utility Service, who is the cousin of Khelvachauri Mayor Zaza Diasamidze.

“The Charter of Journalistic Ethics calls on the Ministry of Internal Affairs to immediately investigate the obstruction of journalists Sulkhan Meskhidze and Lela Dumbadze while performing their professional duties in Khelvachauri,” reads the statement released by the Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics.

“TV Pirveli” views statements from the Prosecutor’s Office and “Georgian Dream” MPs as an attempt to pressure the investigative journalists of “Shabatis Eteri”

A report aired on April 25 by “TV Pirveli’s” investigative program, “Shabatis Eteri” (Saturday Broadcast), was followed by a series of statements directed against the television company. The Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia accuses the station of spreading disinformation.

Specifically, the program “Nodar Meladze’s Saturday” prepared an investigative report regarding Bezhan Bezhuashvili, the father of Tamar Bezhuashvili, a prosecutor involved in high-profile cases. Tamar Bezhuashvili is leading the cases of Paata Burchuladze, Irakli Nadiradze, Murtaz Zodelava, Paata Manjgaladze, and Lasha Beridze. According to the journalistic investigation, the prosecutor’s father defrauded business partners, thereby seizing their shares, funds, and real estate. The report also discusses the prosecutor’s alleged influence, which may be the reason for the delay in the legal proceedings initiated against Bezhan Bezhuashvili.

The Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia released a statement regarding this matter, calling the “TV Pirveli” material “yet another disinformation report.” According to the agency, the television company “is deliberately preparing a report for the second time regarding the business activities of the prosecutor’s father and is completely unjustifiably linking them to Tamar Bezhuashvili’s professional activities.”

“The Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia will not allow such attacks on the prosecutors of high-profile criminal cases, which aim to discredit the prosecutor and the agency, and will respond accordingly,” the statement reads.

Journalist Nodar Meladze also responded to the incident, noting that the attack on the “Shabatis Eteri” team is intended to pressure journalists:

“We, the investigative project ‘Shabatis Eteri’ of ‘TV Pirveli,’ consider the orchestrated attacks on our team as pressure on journalists. The goal of these actions is to force media representatives to cease their professional activities and refuse to prepare investigative reports. For the second day now, a series of attacks by the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia and ‘Georgian Dream’ MPs has been underway against the investigative journalists of the ‘Shabatis Eteri’ program.””TV Pirveli” views statements from the Prosecutor’s Office and “Georgian Dream” MPs as an attempt to pressure the investigative journalists of “Shabatis Eteri”

Georgian Dream Parliament Speaker Attacks and Threatens Independent Online Media Outlets Again

On April 2, 2026, during a briefing held in Parliament, the Speaker of the Parliament from “Georgian Dream,” Shalva Papuashvili, referred to online outlets Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), Tabula, Publika, and Netgazeti as “foreign-funded party propaganda groups.” He accused them of interfering in the activities of the Holy Synod of the Georgian Patriarchate and threatened them with “consequences.”

“We see that, for example, foreign-funded party propaganda groups like Radio Liberty and Tabula are directly interfering in the activities of the Synod. They have launched direct campaigns against specific clerics; Radio Liberty, Tabula, and other online outlets such as Publika, Netgazeti, etc., are conducting direct election campaigns for or against various clergy members. We are monitoring all of this, and there will be an appropriate reaction,” Papuashvili stated.

His statement followed media coverage and public interest regarding the election of a new Patriarch after the passing of Ilia II, the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia.

The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics reminds Papuashvili that the role and duty of the media is to cover all significant issues unfolding in the country.

“The election of a new Patriarch is among such issues, and the Georgian media is currently doing exactly what it should be doing—investigating information and gathering comments on this matter to share with its audience,” the Charter’s statement reads. The Charter calls on high-ranking officials to stop the harassment and intimidation of media outlets and journalists aimed at suppressing critical voices, and to allow the media to contribute fully to the formation of public discourse.

Formula Journalist Obstructed on Duty, Phone Confiscated and Footage Deleted, Threatened with Arrest

On January 26, 2026, Formula TV journalist Nano Chakvetadze had her phone confiscated, the footage recorded on site was deleted, and she was threatened with arrest.

According to information reported by the media, a Formula journalist was covering the death of an employee of the Anti-Corruption Agency near the building of the State Security Service (SSS), when the media representative was obstructed while performing her professional duties.

“We tried to film footage and ask questions to investigators, but first they forcibly took our phone, and then, again using force, made us leave the area,” says Formula TV journalist Nano Chakvetadze.

The incident was addressed by the Media Advocacy Coalition. “Pressure on journalists and the unlawful restriction of their work constitute a gross violation of media freedom. We stand in solidarity with Nano Chakvetadze and all representatives of independent media who are forced to work and inform the public in an extremely challenging environment,” the coalition’s statement reads.

Goga Khaindrava, a supporter of ‘Georgian Dream,’ is suing TV Formula

At a press conference held on January 21, “Georgian Dream” supporter Goga Khaindrava announced that he is suing tv “Formula.”

On January 17, “Shabatis Formula” (Saturday Formula) aired a report about Goga Khaindrava. According to the report, Khaindrava is allegedly involved in corruption schemes.

After the report was broadcast, the show’s host, Davit Kashiashvili, stated that he received a threatening letter from an unknown individual. The author of the threat wrote to the journalist: “Tbilisi is a small city… take care of yourself, buddy.”

Davit Kashiashvili personally announced this during a live broadcast of the program, thereby notifying the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia about the matter.

Threats against a journalist following the investigative report aired on ‘Saturday Formula’

On January 17, after an investigative report aired on Saturday Formula about the possible involvement of “Georgian Dream” supporter Goga Khaindrava in corruption schemes, the program’s host, Davit Kashiashvili, received a threatening message on social media from an unknown person. The author of the threat wrote to the journalist: “Tbilisi is a small city… take care of yourself, buddy.”

Davit Kashiashvili announced the incident himself during the program’s live broadcast, thereby informing the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia. It is also noteworthy that a few weeks earlier Saturday Formula had prepared a report on Goga Khaindrava’s property, after the broadcast of which the director publicly stated his intention to file a lawsuit against the television company.

According to the assessment of the Charter of Journalistic Ethics, this case of threats against a journalist is particularly alarming against the backdrop of inadequate protection of journalists’ safety in Georgia. The organization calls on the Ministry of Internal Affairs to immediately investigate the incident and ensure the journalist’s safety.

A member of the supervisory board of a state company and a relative of a businessman close to “Georgian Dream” threatened a “TV Pirveli” journalist once again

On November 2, 2025, Tea Gabadadze, a member of the supervisory board of the state corporation “Sakrusenergo” and a relative of a businessman close to “Georgian Dream,” threatened journalist Vika Bukia, the host of “TV Pirveli’s” author’s program, with physical violence on social media. Gabadadze’s threat followed a photo posted by Vika Bukia on social media with a sarcastic caption, featuring members of “Georgian Dream” and their supporters, including Gabadadze. “I will cut your fingers with secateurs,” Gabadadze wrote to the journalist, and subsequently repeated the threat of physical violence against the journalist multiple times in the comments.

It should be noted that this is not the first time Gabadadze has publicly threatened a journalist. On June 7, 2025, “TV Pirveli” journalists Nodar Meladze and Tea Dolenjashvili also became the targets of her threats. At that time, her threats followed a story prepared by the journalists: “Nodar Meladze, I will rip your head off (in the full sense of the word) and take Tamta Dolenjashvili with it,” Tea Gabadadze wrote.

The director of the “Adjara Times” claims to have received a threatening message on social media.

On October 15, Sulkhan Meskhidze, the founder and director of “Adjara Times,” published a post on social media, stating that he had received a threatening and insulting message. According to Meskhidze, the message concerned him and his family members.

According to the journalist, the reason for the threat was most likely his publication, which concerns the resignation of Akaki Beridze, the head of the Batumi City Hall’s Department of City Infrastructure and Public Works.

In the post, he writes that this is not the first case of threats, but since he has not received a response from the investigative agencies on previous cases, he will not make an official statement on the matter.

“Radio Marneuli” became the target of censorship and threats from members of “Georgian Dream”

Individuals associated with the ruling party, “Georgian Dream,” demanded that Radio Marneuli delete information about one of the party’s candidates, threatening legal action in court if the demand was not met.

The incident occurred on September 9, 2025. According to Radio Marneuli, they had shared a post on social media from an activist regarding alleged crimes of Gamlet Ismailov, the “Georgian Dream” majoritarian candidate in Dmanisi. The activist wrote that the party candidate had married his own underage student years ago in the Karabulakhi community of Dmanisi, where he also served as the school director. The post further mentioned that Ismailov allegedly concealed information about the forced marriage of another underage student at the school, who later became a victim of femicide.

After sharing this post, the editorial office received multiple calls from the candidate’s representatives, first demanding the post be deleted, and later threatening legal action.

Following this incident, the current mayor of Dmanisi, Koba Muradashvili, also associated with “Georgian Dream,” threatened Radio Marneuli with a lawsuit after a journalist called him for a comment on the information.