Legal incident

Journalist Keta Tsitskishvili detaned for participating in protest

On Monday, October 20, journalist and TV presenter Keta Tsitskishvili from the TV company Formula was detaned. According to media reports, she is accused of blocking a road. A day earlier, on October 19, journalist Vakho Sanaia was detaned on the same charge and sentenced to five days in prison.

The Media Advocacy Coalition condemned Tsitskishvili’s arrest, calling it an act of pressure and an attack on independent media.

“The arrest of journalists by Georgian Dream is a direct assault on the media and freedom of expression. Under such conditions, the work of independent media faces serious threats, severely limiting the public’s right to information in a democratic society,” the coalition said in a statement.

Journalist Vakho Sanaia detaned for participating in protest

On October 19, Vakho Sanaia, a journalist and TV presenter for the TV company Formula, was detained. He is accused of blocking a road, and the Tbilisi City Court sentenced him to six days of administrative detention.

That same day, police also arrested several other participants of the rally, accusing them of blocking the road and covering their faces during the protest. The ruling Georgian Dream party recently tightened legislation, replacing fines with imprisonment for concealing one’s face at rallies.

The Media Advocacy Coalition condemned the journalist’s arrest, calling it “a gross violation of media freedom and freedom of speech.”

The Georgian Patriarchate has decided to ban TV Pirveli and Formula from broadcasting during church holidays

The Public Relations Department of the Georgian Patriarchate announced that on October 14, due to a violation of internal regulations, the film crews of the TV companies “TV Pirveli” and “Formula” will not be accredited for the upcoming church holidays.

“Today, October 14, for violating the internal regulations in the courtyard of the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, under the pretext of journalistic activity, despite repeated warnings, and for arbitrarily leaving the space allocated for the press, the film crews of TV Pirveli and TV Formula will not be accredited for the upcoming church holidays,” the statement said.

The Patriarchate has imposed additional regulations for the media since 2022. Journalists need to obtain special accreditation to cover church events, and they can only work in zones specially designated for the media.

Anti-Corruption Bureau requests information from media to enforce repressive laws

Since May 2025, after the repressive laws came into force, the Anti-Corruption Bureau has requested large amounts of information from more than 60 non-governmental organizations, including several media outlets. The basis for this request is the Law on Grants. The Georgian Dream adopted an amendment to the Law on Grants on April 16, 2025. According to the amendments, the grantor (donor) must apply to the Government of Georgia for consent to issue a grant; the grantee, if receiving a grant without consent, will be fined double the amount of the grant.

On September 29, Razhden Kuprashvili’s bureau applied to the independent investigative journalism association iFact and GMC and requested information about grants, donors, financial transactions and contracts.

Previously, on September 26, Kuprashvili’s bureau sent a letter to the publication “Mountain News”.

“You are in a hurry to put us down. The answer is urgent! We will continue our work! “To create investigative films about government violations of laws, corruption, environmental destruction, and violations of fundamental human rights,” wrote Gela Mtivlishvili, founder and editor-in-chief of “Mountain News.”

On September 28, “Mountain Community” received a letter from the Anti-Corruption Bureau with the same demands. Nugzar Suaridze, the organization’s director, wrote about this on Facebook.

Project 64 also received a letter from the Anti-Corruption Bureau. “We have never faced a crisis of this magnitude, and this is not just a financial crisis,” said Giorgi Gogua, editor-in-chief of Project 64.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau also sent a letter to the Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics.

“The proceeding initiated by the Anti-Corruption Bureau is the first practical step under the new legislation to destroy a highly reputable organization, created through the great efforts of many good journalists,” — reads the statement of the Charter of Journalistic Ethics.

Three foreign reporters faced problems entering Georgia, and two of them were turned away

In the last week of September 2025, three foreign photographers were denied entry into Georgia. Two of them were scheduled to cover the planned local self-government elections in the country. All three photojournalists had been to Georgia before, and they had covered the pro-European protests.

Specifically, on September 28, 2025, Swiss photojournalist Gregor Ziemer was not allowed into Georgia. At the border, he was informed that two fines totaling 10,000 GEL (approx. $3,700) were registered in his name “on the grounds of artificially blocking the road” and that he would not be allowed into the country until he paid this amount. The photojournalist refused to pay the fine and was turned back from the country. Speaking to OC Media, the photojournalist recounts that after the refusal, he was taken to “some room” and detained there for eight hours: “I had to book a return flight. After that, they took my phone away. I tried to get the phone back, but they did not return it. I tried to ask to make a call, but they told me it was impossible and took my phone away.”

On September 29, Italian journalist Giacomo Ferrara was denied entry into Georgia. He was entering Georgia from Armenia. At the border, the police told him that he was subject to a 5,000 GEL (approx. $1,900) fine and would not be allowed into the country without payment. Ferrara said this information was unexpected for him. According to his account, he was fined for being at a protest rally in Tbilisi on March 31, but the argument that he was not participating in the demonstration and was only covering it did not work. The journalist refused to pay the fine and requested his passport, which was returned to him after 2 hours. The journalist says he informed the Italian Embassy in Georgia and the International Federation of Journalists about the incident.

According to Mari Nikuradze, founder of OC Media, on October 1, a German journalist was also detained at the border in Georgia for 6 hours. The reason given was also a fine registered in their name—5,000 GEL ($1,900), for “artificially blocking the road.” The German journalist was only able to enter the country after paying the amount.

This is not the first time foreign reporters have faced problems entering Georgia. Based on publicly available sources, the “Center for Media, Information and Social Studies” has registered more than 10 such cases in the last two years.

Heads of non-governmental organizations summoned for questioning

Leaders of prominent Georgian non-governmental organizations, including members of the Media Advocacy Coalition, have been summoned for questioning by the prosecutor’s office. The questioning is related to the so-called “mask case,” which the prosecutor’s office began investigating in February 2025 on charges of “sabotage, attempted sabotage under aggravating circumstances, and other similar crimes.” According to the organizations, the investigation is unfounded and aims to persecute, intimidate, and dismantle the civil sector.

Based on publicly available information, those summoned for questioning include: Tamta Mikeladze, head of the Social Justice Center; former and current directors of the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED), Nino Dolidze and Levan Natroshvili; Giorgi Mshvenieradze, head of Guardians of Democracy; Baia Pataraia, director of the organization Safar; and Aleko Tskitishvili, head of the Human Rights Center. They have stated on social media that they will agree to questioning only before a magistrate judge. All of them have already been questioned in court.

It should be noted that, in connection with the same case, at the prosecutor’s request, on August 27, 2025, seven organizations’ accounts were frozen: members of the Media Advocacy Coalition – Civil Society Foundation, ISFED, IDFI, GDI – as well as organizations working on human rights and anti-corruption – Guardians of Democracy, Safar, and the Social Justice Center.

“Standing on the Sidewalk” and “Blocking the Road” Cases Against RFE/RL Camera Operator

On September 4, 2025, the Ministry of Internal Affairs fined Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) camera operator Zuka Khidasheli 5,000 GEL for “blocking the road.” Khidasheli has appealed the fine.

The MIA initiated a second case against Zuka Khidasheli on December 18, 2025. In this instance, the Ministry also accused him of “standing on the sidewalk.” A judge later dismissed this case.

According to Radio Liberty, in both instances—September 4 and December 18, 2025—Khidasheli was performing his editorial duties as an RFE/RL camera operator, covering protest rallies.

CMIS is providing detailed documentation on information regarding fines issued against journalists from October 26, 2024, to the present.

“TV Pirveli” cameraman Giorgi Mosiashvili fined 10,000 GEL for “artificially blocking the road”

Giorgi Mosiashvili, a photojournalist for the tv ”Pirveli” was fined twice by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, totaling 10,000 lari. The police accuse him of blocking Rustaveli Avenue on February 21 and March 11. In a post on social media, Mosiashvili noted that he was performing his professional duties at the time the fines were issued.

Georgian Dream increased the amount of fines in the context of the pro-European protests that began after November 28. According to amendments made to Georgia’s Code of Administrative Offence, the fine for illegally blocking a roadway has been increased tenfold from 500 GEL to 5,000 GEL.

The accounts of the member organizations of the “Media Advocacy Coalition” were frozen

The Georgian Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation against non-governmental organizations, including member organizations of the “Media Advocacy Coalition,” on charges of “sabotage, attempted sabotage under aggravating circumstances, assistance in hostile activities to a foreign organization and an organization under foreign control, and mobilization of funds for activities directed against the constitutional order and foundations of national security of Georgia.”

On August 27, 2025, Tbilisi City Court satisfied the Prosecutor’s Office’s request and froze the bank accounts of these organizations.

Minutes after the Prosecutor’s Office released its statement, the pro-government TV company “Imedi” broadcast a story supporting the investigation, specifically using comments from civil sector representatives from pro-European rallies. The Prosecutor’s Office’s accusation charges the organizations with mobilizing funds to purchase special equipment (such as special gas masks, helmets, face coverings, medical masks, protective goggles) for participants of the pro-European rallies.

More than 50 civil society and media organizations expressed solidarity with the seized organizations.

“Taking punitive steps against Georgian non-governmental organizations, similar to the Russian authorities, confirms that the Ivanishvili government’s interest is the complete destruction of dissenting opinion and pro-European groups in Georgia,” the statement said.

Based on the request of the Prosecutor’s Office, the accounts of seven organizations were seized on August 27. These are: “Civil Society Foundation,” “International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy” (ISFED), “Institute for Development of Freedom of Information” (IDFI), “Guardians of Democracy,” “Georgian Democratic Initiative” (GDI), “Sapari,” and “Social Justice Center.” Among these, “Civil Society Foundation,” ISFED, IDFI, and GDI are members of the “Media Advocacy Coalition.”

Founder of “Batumelebi”/“Netgazeti” outlets, Mzia Amaglobeli, sentenced to 2 years in prison

Judge Nino Sakhelashvili of the Batumi City Court reclassified the charges against the founder of the online publications Batumelebi and Netgazeti, journalist Mzia Amaglobeli, and sentenced her to two years in prison.

Mzia Amaglobeli was charged with assaulting a police officer after slapping the Chief of Batumi Police, and was charged under Article 353 Prima of the Criminal Code, which envisions 4 to 7 years in prison. On the day of the verdict, the judge reclassified the charges to Article 353 Part One of the Criminal Code. The article in question refers to resisting a police officer, a special penitentiary service employee or another government official with the aim of obstructing the maintenance of public order, interrupting or changing his activities. The article provides for a fine or house arrest for a term of up to two years or imprisonment for a term of 2 to 6 years.

Mzia Amaglobeli’s attorneys plan to appeal the case after the verdict is handed down.

Mzia Amaglobeli was first arrested on January 11 of this year under administrative law, and a few hours later, on January 12, under criminal law.