On July 12, 2025, a journalistic investigation aired on the television channel “TV Pirveli”, concerning police officers whom “Georgian Dream” allegedly uses against prisoners of conscience, and the benefits these police officers receive in return. The report covered police officer Bidzina Zhamerashvili, whose father, according to the investigation, had been detained for theft.
To verify the facts, the journalist went to the Asureti Division of the Tetri-Tskaro District Police Department and requested a comment from the head of the division, Koba Sutiashvili. The report shows that the division head expelled the cameraman from the office, while journalist Tamta Dolenjashvili was locked inside the office, after which an attempt was made to confiscate her mobile phone and microphone.
According to Tamta Dolenjashvili:
“My cameraman, Papuna Khachidze, was thrown out of the office, while I was locked inside. My mobile phone was taken from me, and there was an attempt to take the microphone as well. Later, Papuna was also expelled from the building.”
On June 9, 2025, journalists from “TV Pirveli” and “Publika” were obstructed in the performance of their professional duties inside the Tbilisi City Court building.
Giorgi Rosophidze, a police officer summoned as a witness in the case of Nika Kacia, physically confronted Natia Amiranashvili, a journalist from “Publika,” and prevented her from asking questions.
In a video released by the online outlet “Publika,” the police officer is seen attempting to snatch the microphone from journalist Natia Amiranashvili, while so-called police escorts forcibly restrain her and do not allow her to ask questions.
A video shared by “TV Pirveli” journalist Nanuka Kajaia shows a representative of the court’s security service interfering with her professional work.
On May 31, 2025, during the broadcast of “Nodar Meladze’s Shabati” on “TV Pirveli,” journalist Tamta Dolenjashvili presented an investigative report about former members of the “Georgian Dream” party being fictitiously employed in high-paying positions at various state-owned companies. The journalist approached one such individual, Luka Kurtanidze—a former “Georgian Dream” MP—at the Georgian Parliament building to ask questions, but was met with physical violence.
On February 4, during a protest held outside the Georgian Parliament building in Tbilisi, police unlawfully obstructed journalists from carrying out their professional duties and physically assaulted three of them:
While on assignment, a police officer violently struck NEWS.On.ge editor-in-chief Vancent Khabeshvili in the head, knocking him to the ground.
According to Publika, police also assaulted their journalist, Natia Levershvili, during her professional duties near the Parliament — officers reportedly hit her and pulled her hair.
A masked officer attempted to seize the phone of OC Media journalist Givi Avaliani, who was filming the arrest of a protester.
“I was recording a person being detained during the assault on journalists at Parliament, when one of the masked officers grabbed my phone and tried to take it,” Avaliani wrote.
The protest outside Parliament was held in support of Batumelebi founder and editor Mzia Amaghlobeli, who has been on a hunger strike for 24 days in protest.
On June 3, 2025, officers from the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Special Tasks Department physically confronted TV Pirveli cameraman Sergi Baramidze.
In a video released by the television station, the cameraman is seen filming when a man—reportedly a security officer from the department—approaches him and attempts to forcibly remove him from the area. It’s important to note that the TV Pirveli crew was not on the department’s premises but outside the perimeter.
According to journalist Nanuka Kajaia, the incident occurred after the crew asked a question regarding Zviad Kharazishvili, head of the Special Tasks Department, also known as “Kharabe.” The TV Pirveli team was trying to find out whether Kharazishvili was affected by the recent staffing changes at the Ministry of Internal Affairs following the appointment of the new minister, Gela Geladze.
On March 20, 2025, in the city of Batumi, Adjara Times director Sulkhan Meskhiadze and Public Broadcaster journalist Lia Toklikishvili — from the investigative program Investigative Reporter — were confronted by activists from the ruling party Georgian Dream while attempting to report on construction safety issues.
“I was filming in ‘Dream Town’ with the Public Broadcaster’s investigative team. Shortly after we arrived, several individuals approached and demanded we stop filming. They began obstructing us — verbally confronting us, and in some cases even using physical force. They tried to push us out of the area and prevent us from recording footage,” Sulkhan Meskhiadze told Batumelebi.
The Media Advocacy Coalition responded to the incident, stating:
“These attacks on the media are part of a broader policy by Georgian Dream aimed at silencing critical voices and restricting the free flow of information. The regime’s hostile rhetoric against the media, combined with the inaction of law enforcement, creates an environment where violence against journalists goes unpunished.”
This is not the first time that media representatives in Batumi’s “Dream Town” have been unlawfully obstructed by Georgian Dream activists or their affiliates while carrying out their professional duties.
On March 28, 2025, during a protest taking place in front of the parliament, police officers obstructed a journalist from the online media outlet April from performing her professional duties.
April‘s journalist, Nata Uridia, was recording the protest on her mobile phone when police officers shoved her. In a video released by April, a police officer can be seen telling the journalist, “Step aside,” before shoving her.
From the start of the protests on November 28, 2024, until March 28, 2025, a total of 154 cases of violations of media representatives’ rights during protests have been documented.
On April 17, 2025, TV channel Trialeti—journalist Shorena Bichikashvili and cameraman Soso Mchedlishvili—was attacked by a local resident in the village of Adzvi, located near the occupation line. The attacker verbally and physically assaulted them while they were performing their professional duties.
According to the journalist, the local resident verbally abused the crew members and threatened to destroy the camera. When the journalist attempted to record the incident on her phone, the individual tried to seize the phone from her and struck her. The crew called the police, and both were later summoned for questioning by the Special Investigative Service.
The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics condemned the attack on the TV crew and called on the Special Investigative Service to carry out a prompt investigation.
On May 20, 2025 British journalist Will Neal has been denied entry into Georgia, where he has lived since 2022.
Will Neal is freelance journalist. On March 31 of this year, Neal published an investigatigation about Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich’s UK-registered companies and their connections to Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of the Georgian Dream party.
The expulsion follows a hate campaign led by pro-government politicians and media outlets in response to Neal’s investigation into Georgian circles of power, as press freedom continues to deteriorate in the country.
The international organization Reporters Without Borders has issued a article regarding the journalist being denied entry at the border, saying: “The expulsion follows a hate campaign led by pro-government politicians and media outlets in response to Neal’s investigation into Georgian circles of power, as press freedom continues to deteriorate in the country.“
This is not the first time journalists have been denied entry to Georgia.
On May 12, 2025, in Kvemo Kartli, a journalist and a cameraman from TV Pirveli, who were investigating the resignation of former Deputy Governor Giorgi Shinjikashvili, were physically attacked by the former official’s father.
According to the journalist, Mariam Makasarashvili, Shinjikashvili’s father slapped her in the face and physically attacked the channel’s cameraman as well. At the same time, he seized the TV station’s camera and the journalist’s personal mobile phone, which were returned only after 40 minutes. As a result of the attack, the journalist suffered a concussion and required medical assistance.
The crew immediately called the police. According to the broadcaster, employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs arrived an hour and 20 minutes later. The Special Investigative Service has launched an investigation into the incident.
According to the Media Advocacy Coalition, the incident “once again clearly highlights the critical state of media freedom and safety in the country.”
