Physical Violence and Ill-treatment

Documented Incidents Against Civil Activists – June 2024

Context

The monitoring conducted in June 2024 demonstrated that human rights violations targeting civil activists continued and retained a systemic character. Although the intensity of protest demonstrations decreased compared to May, the practices of violence, intimidation, and legal pressure against activists remained evident. In addition, the reporting period saw an incident involving damage to the office of a political party, reflecting a tense and polarized environment and increasing the risk of politically motivated acts of violence.

The documented cases include both administrative and criminal detention, as well as incidents of physical violence, property damage, and indirect pressure. A number of these incidents were linked to activists’ civic engagement and participation in protest activities, indicating a hostile environment toward critical expression and creating a risk of a chilling effect.

Incidents

On 3 June 2024, activist Davit Kuprava was summoned for questioning by the Criminal Police after Nino Tsilosani, a Member of Parliament from the ruling Georgian Dream party, accused him of “harassment.” Tsilosani filed a complaint with the Ministry of Internal Affairs after, during a conversation with journalists, a citizen shouted “traitor” at her from a passing vehicle. Tsilosani claimed that she had been subjected to “harassment.”

On 5 June 2024, businessman and activist opposing the so-called “Russian Law,” Ioseb Babaev, was detained by the State Security Service of Georgia (SSG) on charges of illegal possession of a firearm and was physically assaulted. Judge Levan Darbaidze found the investigative actions conducted in the case to be unlawful and ordered Babaev’s release from the courtroom. Recalling the day of his detention, Babaev stated that law enforcement officers beat him for approximately five hours. According to Babaev, his detention was personally supervised by the head of the Central Criminal Police Department.

On 7 June 2024, student and activist Niko Managadze was physically assaulted by up to four individuals near the First Building of Tbilisi State University (TSU). The assault was preceded by Managadze’s announcement of a protest gathering outside TSU, where demonstrators planned to meet Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze. The protest was directed against what participants described as the undemocratic policies of the ruling Georgian Dream party, including the adoption of the so-called “Russian Law.”

On 8 June 2024, students opposing the so-called “Russian Law” held a protest outside Tbilisi State University, where Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze was scheduled to deliver a lecture. At the same time, individuals associated with the ruling Georgian Dream party, commonly referred to as “titushky,” were mobilized both inside the university corridors and around the perimeter of the campus. Tensions escalated repeatedly throughout the event.

On 9 June 2024, Mariam Tsitsikashvili, an employee of the non-governmental organization GRASS, was stopped by police after an altercation with People’s Power MP Viktor Japaridze at the airport. Police confiscated her passport and administratively detained her under the petty hooliganism provision of the Code of Administrative Offences.

On 11 June 2024, within one hour of the publication of a Facebook post by Shalva Papuashvili, Speaker of the Parliament from the ruling Georgian Dream party, activist Zuka Berdzenishvili was physically assaulted by a violent group. In his post, Papuashvili claimed that Berdzenishvili had been calling Members of Parliament and threatening and insulting them. Shortly afterwards, Berdzenishvili was ambushed outside his home, attacked from behind, beaten, and threatened with death. Due to the severity of his injuries, he required surgical treatment.

Also on 11 June 2024, students who were due to meet President Salome Zourabichvili at Orbeliani Square were confronted by so-called “vigilante groups.” As information about the planned meeting had been publicly available in advance, aggressive groups affiliated with Georgian Dream gathered at the venue. They verbally abused the President, calling her a “resident” and a “traitor,” and attempted to disrupt the meeting. Their verbal aggression targeted both President Zourabichvili and other participants and activists attending the event. According to the organizers, the primary objective of these groups was to provoke young participants into a physical confrontation. However, this attempt failed, and the groups left the area shortly afterwards.

On 13 June 2024, activist Beka Papashvili was physically assaulted at the Fresco supermarket on Gorgasali Avenue by the personal bodyguard of Georgian Dream MP Beka Odisharia. Papashvili stated that he was attacked by a group of so-called “thugs” as he exited the supermarket and that one of the attackers was allegedly the MP’s son. The assault followed Papashvili calling Odisharia a “slave” and a “Russian.”

On 17 June 2024, activist Leri Dardzania, an opponent of the so-called “Russian Law,” was ambushed in the morning. As he left his home, he was physically assaulted by approximately ten unidentified individuals. He sustained injuries to his face and required hospitalization.

Documented Incidents Against Civil Activists – July 2025

Context

The incidents documented in July 2025 continue to indicate the use of repressive legal mechanisms against civil activists, as well as incidents of physical violence. During the month, several activists detained in connection with pro-European protests were sentenced to terms of imprisonment by the courts.

In addition to convictions in criminal cases, two incidents involving physical violence and ill-treatment against musicians engaged in civic activism were documented in July. These incidents were linked to their participation in, or association with, protest-related cultural expression, including the performance of the protest song “Ole Ola.” In both cases, the victims stated that the attacks or threats against them were directly connected to this activity.

Overall, the incidents documented in July demonstrate a pattern in which criminal prosecution, deprivation of liberty, and acts of physical violence are directed against individuals who either directly participate in protest activities or are associated with protest-related cultural and public expression.

Incidents

On 3 July 2025, Judge Nino Galustashvili of the Tbilisi City Court sentenced 21-year-old Giorgi Mindadze to five years’ imprisonment. The Prosecutor’s Office charged Mindadze under Article 353¹(1) of the Criminal Code, which concerns an attack on a police officer and carries a sentence of four to seven years’ imprisonment. The prosecution alleged that Mindadze fired pyrotechnics at an employee of the Special Tasks Department (STD).

On 6 July 2025, musician, actor and television presenter Vano Tarkhnishvili was attacked and physically assaulted by unidentified individuals near his residential apartment building. The actor linked the attack to his performance of the song “Ole Ola” at a pub in Tbilisi in January 2025. Following the incident, Tarkhnishvili published a photograph showing bruising around his eye and nose.

On 8 July 2025, musician Aleksandre Kordzaia (Kordz) was attacked by unidentified individuals. According to the musician, he had been receiving threatening letters for six months prior to the attack. Kordzaia linked the assault to the protest song “Ole Ola,” for which he composed the musical arrangement. It is noteworthy that Vano Tarkhnishvili and Davit Gabunia had also been attacked in connection with performing the same song.

On 18 July 2025, Judge Jvebe Nachkebia of the Tbilisi City Court sentenced Anri Kvaratskhelia to four years and six months’ imprisonment. Kvaratskhelia had been charged under Article 353¹(1) of the Criminal Code, which concerns an attack on a police officer and carries a sentence of four to seven years’ imprisonment. The Prosecutor’s Office alleged that Kvaratskhelia endangered officers of the Special Tasks Department (STD) by throwing a Molotov cocktail. However, no police officer was physically injured in the incident. Kvaratskhelia denied the charges and maintained that the case against him had been fabricated.

Documented Incidents Against Civil Activists – January 2025

The incidents documented in January 2025 indicate the use of diverse and intensive forms of pressure against civil activists. These incidents include administrative and criminal prosecution, physical violence, restrictions on freedom of expression, financial sanctions, and alleged politically motivated discrimination in professional activities.

During the reporting period, particularly notable were the mass detentions related to protest demonstrations in Tbilisi and Batumi, as well as judicial decisions concerning activists and the so-called “prisoners of conscience.” At the same time, multiple cases were documented in which individuals linked their dismissal from public employment to their civic position and participation in protests, creating a chilling effect on the exercise of freedom of expression. Cases of physical violence and ill-treatment against activists were also documented, both within Georgia and abroad. Overall, the events of January reflect an environment in which legal, administrative and coercive mechanisms are employed in parallel against civil society.

Incidents

5 January 2025

Several public employees were dismissed from their positions. The Chairperson of the Central Election Commission (CEC), Giorgi Kalandarishvili, dismissed CEC employee Vako Maisuradze on the grounds of institutional reorganization. Maisuradze links his dismissal to his public condemnation of violence committed by the ruling Georgian Dream party.

Pavle Gakharia, an employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Public Safety Management Centre 112, also stated that he was dismissed because of his participation in protest demonstrations. According to Gakharia, his employment contract was terminated without any justification.

8 January 2025

Gela Megrelidze, a German citizen who participated in protests against the so-called “Russian Law”, was denied the right of residence in Georgia and was found administratively liable for an offence committed during a protest.

Megrelidze, who returned to Georgia after 20 years abroad, applied for a residence permit. His application was rejected on the grounds that he allegedly posed a threat to the country. An official document issued to photographer Gela Megrelidze stated that his presence in Georgia was “incompatible with the interests of the State.”

10 January 2025

Judge Ketevan Jachvadze examined the cases of 11 prisoners of conscience—Andro Chichinadze, Jano Archaia, Guram Mirtskhulava, Onise Tskhadadze, Ruslan Sivakov, Luka Jabuia, Sergei Kukharchuk, Giorgi Terishvili, Irakli Kherashvili, Revaz Kiknadze and Valeri Tetriashvili—and ordered that they remain in pre-trial detention. The Prosecutor’s Office charged the eleven participants in the pro-European protest demonstrations with participation in group violence.

11 January 2025

Judge Irakli Khuskivadze examined the cases of eight prisoners of conscience—Vephkhia Kasradze, Zviad Tsetskhladze, Vasil Kadelashvili, Giorgi Giorgadze, Irakli Miminoshvili, Insaf Aliyev, Tornike Goshadze and Nikoloz Javakhishvili—and ordered that they remain in pre-trial detention.

The Prosecutor’s Office charged three defendants—Zviad Tsetskhladze, Vephkhia Kasradze and Vasil Kadelashvili—with organising and leading group violence, an offence punishable by six to nine years’ imprisonment. The remaining five defendants—Irakli Miminoshvili, Insaf Aliyev, Tornike Goshadze, Nikoloz Javakhishvili and Giorgi Giorgadze—were charged with participation in group violence, which carries a sentence of four to six years’ imprisonment.

11 January 2025

During a pro-European protest near Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi, protest participant and disability rights advocate Gia Jvarsheishvili was detained.

According to a briefing by Eka Gigauri, Executive Director of Transparency International Georgia, and Nino Lomjaria, head of the organisation Georgia’s European Orbit, multiple rights were allegedly violated during Jvarsheishvili’s detention. He was reportedly subjected to both verbal and physical abuse.

12 January 2025

A large-scale protest entitled “Unfair Court” was held outside the Babilo restaurant on Beliashvili Street in Tbilisi. The demonstration was prompted by information circulated on social media and protest groups indicating that representatives of the judiciary, including leading judges associated with the so-called “judicial clan”, were holding a New Year’s corporate gathering at the restaurant.

The protest was fuelled by public outrage over the fact that, amid the country’s ongoing political crisis, mass demonstrations and the detention of protesters, judges were attending a festive dinner. The demonstration began in the afternoon, after which a large number of police officers and special forces units, including water cannon vehicles, were deployed to the scene. Law enforcement officers completely cordoned off the perimeter of the restaurant to prevent protesters from approaching those inside.

Police officers on the scene prevented members of the media from filming individuals leaving the restaurant. While the judges’ gathering was taking place, the protest continued throughout the day.

Police administratively detained nine individuals. They were charged under Articles 166 and 173 of the Code of Administrative Offences, namely petty hooliganism and failure to comply with a lawful order of a police officer. Notably, all detainees alleged that disproportionate force had been used against them during their detention.

The hearings concerning the detainees took place at Tbilisi City Court on 14 January. Eight activists were sentenced to terms of administrative detention by different judges.

Specifically:

Judge Lela Mildenberger sentenced Tite Gedenidze and Zviad Robakidze to 10 days of administrative detention, while Shako Maghradze was sentenced to 12 days of administrative detention.
Judge Zviad Tsekvava sentenced Daniel Bulkashvili to 14 days of administrative detention.
Judge Manuchar Tsatsua sentenced Zurab Manchkhashvili to 13 days of administrative detention, while Giorgi Chachanidze received 10 days of administrative detention.
Judge Koba Chagunava sentenced Beka Papashvili to 15 days of administrative detention.
Judge Nino Enukidze sentenced Kakha Japaridze to 10 days of administrative detention.

11–12 January 2025

During protest demonstrations held outside the Constitutional Court of Georgia and the Adjara Police Department in Batumi, police detained 13 activists.

On 11 January, detentions began outside Batumi City Court, where activist Tatia Abuladze was detained after attaching a protest poster. Later the same day, activist Tsiala Katamidze was detained outside the Adjara Police Department after displaying a poster of similar content.

Police subsequently detained Mate Tsenteradze, Goderdzi Prangishvili, Temur Katamadze, Lali Dgebuadze, Teo Beridze, Malkhaz Iremadze, and Nini Shavadze, who is a minor.

According to the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA), some of the detainees were charged with failure to comply with a lawful order of a police officer.

On 12 January, police detained several additional activists during the protest outside the Constitutional Court in Batumi, including Elizbar Chkhikvadze, Luka Natsvlishvili, Shushana Matsaberidze, and Levan Khorava.

According to GYLA, the detainees were transferred to Poti following their detention.

13 January 2025

Members of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Viktor Sanikidze and Irakli Zarkua, physically assaulted civil activist Lasha Gabitashvili in Dubai.

The incident followed Gabitashvili shouting “slave” and “traitor” at Georgian Dream Members of Parliament the previous day.

13 January 2025

Tbilisi City Hall employee Kristina Chubinidze was dismissed from her position.

The former public employee stated that she was dismissed because of her commitment to the Constitution and Georgia’s European values. According to her, although her employment relationship had been terminated on 31 December, she was informed of the dismissal only on 13 January.

Chubinidze was among the signatories of a public statement expressing support for Georgia’s European course

18 January 2025

During a protest held outside the Gldani-Nadzaladevi Police Department No. VII in Tbilisi, law enforcement officers detained several activists by use of force. Those detained included film director Guram Matskhonashvili, Sona Kalandadze, Mariam Paichadze, manager of the Haraki movement, Tamar Chumashvili, Roman Akopov, and Mariam Gilashvili. They were charged with wearing face coverings during a protest and with failure to comply with a lawful order of a police officer.

Several of the activists administratively detained outside the Temka police station alleged that they had been subjected to physical and verbal abuse by police officers. According to their lawyer, police officers pulled Sona Kalandadze’s hair and verbally abused her while taking her into the police station. The lawyer further stated that Mariam Paichadze was also dragged by her hair during her detention. According to the same source, one alleged law enforcement officer dressed in civilian clothing mocked the detainees and humiliated them because of their participation in the protest.

According to Tamta Mikeladze, Executive Director of the Social Justice Center, Guram Matskhonashvili was struck on the back of the head while at the police station.

20 January 2025

Judge Nino Gudadze delivered the judgment in the case of prisoners of conscience Omar Okribelashvili and Saba Meparishvili.

The court sentenced both defendants to three years’ imprisonment, which was reduced to two and a half years under the amnesty law. Of this sentence, one year was suspended, while the remaining one year and six months is to be served in a penitentiary institution.

As Okribelashvili and Meparishvili have already spent eight months in detention, they are expected to remain in prison for approximately another ten months.

During the hearing held on 20 January, both defendants pleaded guilty to the charges against them. The Prosecutor’s Office accused them of acting jointly to damage a police barricade, causing damage assessed at GEL 400. According to prosecutor Nugzar Chitadze, the defendants had also compensated for the damage.

Omar Okribelashvili and Saba Meparishvili were originally detained by police during protests against the so-called “Foreign Agents Law.”

20 January 2025

Fridon Bubuteishvili, aged 20, who had been detained during protests against the so-called “Russian Law,” was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment. The judgment was delivered by Judge Zviad Sharadze. The Prosecutor’s Office accused Bubuteishvili of damaging the gate of the Parliament building, causing damage estimated at GEL 500. He was also charged with throwing stones at a firefighter-rescuer.

26 January 2025

Civil activist Vakho Pitskhelauri was abducted and physically assaulted in the Tsmindatskali settlement of Gori. According to the activist, he was attacked by at least three masked individuals while walking to a local shop. Pitskhelauri links the attack to his civic activities.

29 January 2025

Citizens held another protest outside the Government House of Adjara in Batumi against the policies of the ruling Georgian Dream party and brought tents to the site of the demonstration. During the protest, police restricted the participants’ freedom of expression by preventing the use of protest tents and confiscating the tents brought by demonstrators.

20 January 2025

Film director Guram Matskhonashvili was fined GEL 2,000 by the court.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs charged him under Articles 173 and 174 of the Code of Administrative Offences, relating to failure to comply with a lawful order of a police officer and wearing a face covering during a protest.

Matskhonashvili had previously been detained by law enforcement officers during the protest outside the Glldani-Nadzaladevi Police Department No. VII together with several other activists.

27 January 2025

The Zugdidi District Court imposed a GEL 2,000 fine on Mariam Sichinava, a political activist of the Droa party, for wearing a face covering during a protest, under Article 174 of the Code of Administrative Offences.

30 January 2025

Nino Khazalashvili, an employee of the Samtskhe-Javakheti Destination Management Organisation, stated that she was dismissed from her position after reacting (“haha” reaction) to a social media post.

According to Khazalashvili, for several weeks she had expressed reactions to social media posts related to civic activism, and believes that these reactions were the reason for her dismissal.

Incidents documented against civil activists – February 2025

Context

The incidents documented in February 2025 show that, during the month of February, the practice of pressure directed against civil activists continued actively. The cases described during the reporting period include administrative detentions, criminal prosecution, physical violence, financial sanctions, as well as alleged discriminatory decisions related to professional activity.

A significant part of the documented cases is linked to peaceful protest activity, including participation in demonstrations and the public expression of positions. At the same time, in a number of cases, there are indications of the use of force and ill-treatment by law enforcement bodies, pointing to risks of restrictions on the freedoms of assembly and expression.

Incidents:

On 2 February 2025, on the 67th day of the pro-European protests, a protest assembly was held in Tbilisi, near Tbilisi Mall, demanding the holding of new elections and the release of persons detained during the protests. During the assembly, police physically assaulted participants and detained a total of 31 persons under administrative procedure.

Among those detained were former President of the National Bank of Georgia Giorgi Kadagidze and Badri Grigalashvili, a political activist of the Coalition for Change, who was later removed from the police detention vehicle together with two other detainees. According to available information, one of them had visible injuries on his face. At the 2 February protest, detainees were physically assaulted by special forces officers under the command of Zviad Kharazishvili. Among the victims was chef Zurab Shonia, who was struck on the head by special forces officers. The activist had to be transferred to Ingorokva Clinic.

A statement disseminated by the Public Defender reads: “The facts of ill-treatment and excessive use of force by police against citizens, journalists and politicians, as reflected in video footage disseminated through public sources, are alarming. Information is also being disseminated about an injured TV Pirveli camera operator as a result of actions by police officers. We also saw, live on air, footage of verbal insults by police officers against women, including female politicians.”

On 4 February 2025, charges were aggravated against eight persons detained on 2 February near Tbilisi Mall — Irakli Tabatadze, Nikoloz Kutubidze, Vasil Eliava, Aleksandre Gogoladze, Dimitri Bidzinashvili, Gigi Ugulava, Irakli Tsignadze and Nikoloz Qumsishvili — who had initially been accused of an administrative offence. The Prosecutor’s Office accused them of committing an offence under Article 19-222 of the Criminal Code. This concerns an attempted group blockade of an object of strategic or special importance. The court imposed bail as a preventive measure on all eight persons and released them from the courtroom.

On 6 February 2025, at dawn, police detained three students of Tbilisi State University and Georgian Technical University — Achi Gochitashvili, Luka Khizadze and Giorgi Barbakadze. All three were demanding, from the corridor of the State University, the release of their comrades held in unlawful captivity and the holding of new elections. They were accused of failure to comply with a lawful order of a law enforcement officer, which is punishable under Article 173 of the Code of Administrative Offences by a fine or administrative detention.

On 11 February 2025, police fined Zura Tsetskhladze, the father of prisoner of conscience Zviad Tsetskhladze, GEL 5,000 on the basis of Article 174 of the Code of Administrative Offences. According to Zura Tsetskhladze, up to seven police officers were waiting for him near his home and served him with the fine report.

On 11 February 2025, four persons were detained during an ongoing pro-European protest on Rustaveli Avenue. Two of them were released on the basis of a written undertaking. Among those detained were Levan Gogichaishvili, Kakha Turmanidze and Giorgi Okribelashvili, the father of prisoner of conscience Omar Okribelashvili.

On 15 February 2025, the court fined Bacho Dolidze GEL 5,000. He was accused, in connection with the 11 February protest, of artificially blocking a road under Article 174 of the Code of Administrative Offences.

On 18 February 2025, civil activist Nikoloz Latsabidze was attacked by four unidentified individuals. The incident took place on Andronikashvili Street. The activist underwent medical examinations at Viva Med Clinic and was diagnosed with a concussion.

On 18 February 2025, Judge Koba Chagunava found civil activist Isako Devidze liable for an administrative offence and fined him GEL 5,000, while activist Mariam Gachechiladze was issued a verbal warning.

Isako Devidze had been detained on 19 November 2024 on Melikishvili Avenue. On 20 November, he was sentenced to eight days of detention on charges of petty hooliganism and failure to comply with a lawful order of a police officer.

On 20 February 2025, employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs fined Lasha Diarov, a member of Strategy Aghmashenebeli. Diarov was accused of artificially blocking the carriageway on 14 February.

On 20 February 2025, several participants in the pro-European protest were issued fines. Eka Siradze, former Ambassador of Georgia to France, was fined GEL 5,000 for participating in the protest. Giorgi Kirakozashvili, the son of a soldier who died heroically in the August War, was fined GEL 1,000, while Nadim Khmaladze was served with two fine notices and is required to pay a total of GEL 25,000 in fines.

On 24 February 2025, teachers dismissed from their jobs spoke to TV Pirveli about political repression. Sophio Roinishvili, a former teacher at Kutaisi Public School No. 6, stated that her participation in a protest and a GEL 5,000 fine imposed for setting off fireworks became the basis for her dismissal. Manana Ghvinjilia, a dismissed teacher from Public School No. 51, is also preparing to defend her interests in court. According to her, she was dismissed before the elections solely because she was the head of the Chugureti organization of Strong Georgia.

On 27 February 2025, the court issued fines to participants in the pro-European protest. Judge Koba Chagunava fined parody artist Kartlos Natroshvili GEL 500 for standing at the Rustaveli protest. Judge Nino Enukidze also fined Nika Narsia on the grounds of road blocking.

Incidents documented against civil activists – December 2025

Context

The incidents documented in December 2025 indicate both the continued trend of detentions and administrative detention in the context of protest assemblies, and the expansion of legal and investigative mechanisms against civil society, media actors and experts. During the month, a number of activists were detained on Rustaveli Avenue and at other protest locations, mainly on allegations of blocking a road during an assembly or failing to comply with police orders.

During the same period, a case of physical violence against an activist was also documented. In addition, Georgian Dream adopted and brought into force legislative amendments that significantly tighten the regulation of assemblies and demonstrations, including by introducing stricter administrative liability for violations of prior notification requirements and restrictions on movement.

In December, particular attention was drawn to the investigation related to the BBC investigative film, within the framework of which the State Security Service summoned doctors, researchers and civil society representatives for questioning in various procedural capacities. This process was assessed as a series of acts of pressure and intimidation against civil society.

Overall, the incidents documented in December highlight three main trends: detentions during protest assemblies, the tightening of regulations governing assemblies, and pressure on civil society through investigative actions.

Incidents

On 1 December 2025, the BBC published an investigative report alleging that the Georgian authorities had used a First World War-era chemical substance to disperse the anti-government demonstrations of 2024. Within the framework of the investigation, more than 160 investigative actions were carried out and 93 witnesses were questioned, including current and former employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, doctors, experts and respondents featured in the British broadcaster’s report.

The State Security Service opened an investigation following the publication of the BBC investigative report under Articles 333 and 319 of the Criminal Code. These provisions concern abuse of official authority and assistance to a foreign organization in hostile activities.

According to the State Security Service, the purpose of the investigation is to establish in detail “what information formed the basis of the interviews of the persons relied upon in the information disseminated by the BBC, the information voiced by them, and how relevant that information may be.”

The State Security Service considers it a fact only that, “on the one hand, the disseminated material contains elements of a crime which, if confirmed, is directed against the life and health of citizens and substantially violates their and the public’s lawful interests,” while “on the other hand, conversely, it contains elements of a crime that grossly damages Georgia’s national interests, its international image and reputation, and is directed against state interests.”

On 2 December 2025, in connection with the BBC investigation, the State Security Service summoned citizens to the agency for questioning. Among them were doctors Gela Ghunashvili and Konstantine Chakhunashvili, who are co-authors of the study featured in the investigative film. Speaking to TV Pirveli, Chakhunashvili noted that the questions mainly concerned his CV and the subject matter of their scientific publications. Chakhunashvili stated that information about their work is public and can be accessed by any person.

On 3 December, in connection with the BBC investigative film, the State Security Service summoned Eka Gigauri, Director of Transparency International Georgia, and activist Mikheil Zakareishvili, who participated in the scientific study conducted by doctor Konstantine Chakhunashvili, for questioning as witnesses. Eka Gigauri was questioned before a magistrate judge. According to her, she was not asked questions concerning intoxication; rather, the State Security Service was mainly interested in whether Gigauri had received any form of remuneration for providing a comment to the BBC, which the Director of Transparency International Georgia assessed as an incomprehensible question.

On 3 December, doctor Davit Chakhunashvili and academic Giorgi Chakhunashvili were also questioned before a magistrate judge. According to Davit Chakhunashvili, investigators asked questions concerning the study conducted by the group of doctors and were interested in whether the study referred to the substance “camite.”

On 6 December 2025, during a protest held near the Government Administration in Tbilisi, law enforcement officers detained activist Giorgi Melitauri. The protest march, held under the slogan “The regime is poisoning us — conduct an international investigation,” was moving from the Parliament building towards the Government Administration. Demonstrators were demanding an international investigation and the examination of substances contained in the water cannon used during the dispersal of the November–December 2024 protests.

On 9 December 2025, activist Roman Akopov was allegedly ambushed near his residence and physically assaulted. The activist himself published photographs on social media.

On 10 December 2025, Georgian Dream considered under an expedited procedure and adopted in the third reading a draft law making it mandatory to notify the police five days in advance of holding an assembly in a place used for the movement of people or transport. In addition, under the legislative amendments, obstructing the free movement of people on sidewalks is prohibited. According to the new amendments to the Law on Assemblies and Demonstrations, violation of the rules, including obstructing pedestrian movement on sidewalks or failure to notify the authorities five days in advance of an assembly, entails, for a first offence, administrative detention of up to 15 days for an ordinary participant and up to 20 days for an organizer. Repeated commission of the same offence is classified as a criminal offence.

On 12 December 2025, civil activist Nene Gablaia was detained on Rustaveli Avenue. Footage disseminated on social media shows several police officers placing Gablaia into a detention vehicle.

On 20 December 2025, tensions escalated during an ongoing protest on Rustaveli Avenue. Police detained activist Isako Devidze. According to protest participants, Devidze was apprehended by around ten police officers through the use of force.

Incidents documented against civil activists – April 2024

Context

Monitoring conducted in April 2024 showed a significant escalation of violations against civil activists in Georgia. This period coincided with the re-initiation of the so-called “Russian law”, which triggered large-scale, continuous and intensive protests in various cities across the country, particularly in Tbilisi.

A significant number of the incidents documented in April were linked to peaceful assemblies, protest marches and demonstrations. In most cases, law enforcement bodies were involved, indicating a broader trend of state control over civic space and restrictions on protest. The monitoring data, based on footage disseminated by the media and reports by the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association and the Public Defender of Georgia,(see: Public Defender, 16–17 April; Public Defender, 30 April; GYLA, 30 April) shows that both administrative and coercive measures were used against activists. In several cases, these measures resulted in restrictions on the freedoms of assembly and expression, physical violence and indirect pressure.

Incidents

On 7 April 2024, activists who were removing hate-related posters in the Marjanishvili area were obstructed by party activists affiliated with Georgian Dream. The civil activists called law enforcement officers to the scene; however, the police took the activists for questioning and released them only the following morning.

On 15 April 2024, during a protest against the “Russian law”, police detained 14 citizens. Some of those detained reported violence by police officers, which was also confirmed by the Deputy Public Defender, Elene Ghudushauri. According to the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, most of the detainees did not have adequate access to communication with family members and lawyers. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, four of the 14 detainees were released on the basis of a written undertaking.

On 16–17 April 2024, during the dispersal of a protest against the so-called “Russian law”, police forces used physical force against peaceful demonstrators. In its report, the Public Defender noted that footage disseminated by media outlets indicated the use of disproportionate force by special-purpose police units against citizens. For example, a police officer knocked down and physically assaulted protest participant Dimitri Beridze. Beridze was transferred to a clinic and sustained a concussion as a result of the incident. In another case, officers of the Special Tasks Department cornered a young man in a side street and physically assaulted him. According to the citizen, masked individuals chased him and struck him in the face area with a baton. Civil activist Mariam Dolidze was also physically assaulted by special forces officers. She sustained an elbow injury and required surgery. In addition, police detained 18 persons, including Gela Khasaia, Levan Jobava, Sandro and Giga Jokhadze, Levan Budaghashvili, Tornike Maruashvili, Isako Devidze, G.B., D.G. and others. Signs of physical violence were also identified in this incident: five of the detainees had to be transferred to a clinic. This information was also confirmed by the Minister of Health. The Public Defender also referred in its report to allegations of ill-treatment of detainees.

The Public Defender stated that on the evening of 16 April, during the protest against the so-called “Russian law”, the situation escalated several times. Pepper spray was used by law enforcement officers even in response to non-violent approaches by protesters. Cases were also identified in which peaceful participants were chased in order to force them to leave the area. The Public Defender stated that such actions clearly constituted an unjustified interference with the freedom of assembly. The Public Defender further emphasized that “one of the most important elements of the freedom of assembly is the freedom to choose the location of an assembly, which is of particular significance where a specific place or institution is the object of protest, or where expressing views at a specific location is the most effective means of conveying an opinion or protest to its intended addressee.”

On 18 April 2024, in connection with protests against the so-called “Russian law”, the Central Criminal Police summoned activists Niko Managadze, Tite Gedenidze, Beka Papashvili, Tsotne Japaridze and Igor Narmania for questioning.

On 19 April 2024, masked individuals were allegedly waiting near the residence of civil activist Niko Managadze. As soon as they noticed the TV Pirveli camera crew, they left the area. Managadze suspected that the unidentified individuals had come to his residence with the intention of physically attacking him.

On 20 April 2024, Niko Managadze, an activist opposing the so-called “Russian law”, was physically assaulted near the university, allegedly by individuals linked to Georgian Dream. The activist was first pushed by the security detail of Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze; subsequently, approximately ten young men physically assaulted him.

On 22 April 2024, civil activist, teacher and founder of a children’s literary club Mikheil Mumladze was detained near the Lado Meskhishvili Theatre in Kutaisi while draft laws restricting LGBT rights were being discussed inside the theatre. At the time the discussion began, Mumladze wrote on his Facebook page that he was not being allowed to attend the public discussion of the constitutional draft law and addressed Mamuka Mdinaradze, asking to be allowed into the building.

On 29 April 2024, Alexi Petriashvili was detained during a protest against the so-called “Russian law”. Police accused him of petty hooliganism and failure to comply with a lawful order of a police officer.

On 30 April 2024, the special-purpose unit of the Special Tasks Department dispersed a peaceful protest against the so-called “Russian law”. According to the Public Defender, during the night of 30 April and throughout 1 May, the Public Defender and its representatives visited 49 persons, of whom 47 had been detained under administrative procedure. Representatives visited temporary detention facilities in Tbilisi, Zugdidi, Telavi, Dusheti, Mtskheta, Gori and Khashuri. Thirty-one persons alleged ill-treatment and/or disproportionate use of force by police or special forces. Most of them had visible injuries. Nineteen of the 31 requested a response. According to publicly available information, police surrounded and detained activist Giorgi Dumbadze while he was giving an interview to TV Pirveli and saying that he would not stop fighting against the Russian law. Members of the special-purpose unit also physically assaulted Gela Nadiradze, who sustained injuries.

According to a report by the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, during the protest held near the Parliament of Georgia, members of the special-purpose unit used active special means without prior warning, including pepper spray discharged at close range and gas capsules. GYLA noted that protest participants were not given an opportunity to leave the area, as “police forces had encircled the demonstrators.”

According to the report, footage disseminated by the media also documented cases of physical violence against citizens, including women, while administrative detentions were carried out in parallel.

The Public Defender also assessed the protest of 30 April. According to the Public Defender, the force used by law enforcement officers in several cases failed to meet the standards of necessity and proportionality. The Public Defender stated that pepper spray and other special means, including tear gas and water cannon, were used against protest participants. The Public Defender emphasized that both at the time the warning was issued and afterwards, the assembly remained peaceful; therefore, there were no grounds for terminating the assembly or using force against peaceful demonstrators.

Incidents Documented Against Civil Activists – 11–31 December 2024

Context

In the second half of December, practices of legal, administrative, and indirect pressure emerged against civil activists, citizens participating in protest actions, and persons employed in the public sector. The second half of December was marked by the tightening of legislative regulations, as well as by an increase in the practice of detentions and termination of labour relations. Below is an overview of developments that took place in the second half of December, based on information disseminated in the media and publicly available sources, and it may not reflect all cases.

Tightening of laws / legislative amendments: During the reporting period, Parliament adopted two packages of legislative amendments concerning the regulation of assemblies and demonstrations, the increase of administrative sanctions, rules governing service in the police, and the legal framework of public service.

Detentions: Between 11 and 31 December, at least 16 persons were detained under administrative law, while at least 1 person was detained under criminal law.

Administrative proceedings / verbal warnings: As a result of judicial review of administrative cases, at least 4 persons were issued verbal warnings.

Financial sanctions: In administrative proceedings, financial sanctions were imposed on at least 3 persons; the total amount of fines reached GEL 6,700.

Physical violence / ill-treatment: In at least 8 cases, activists alleged physical violence or ill-treatment, including in the context of arrest, transportation, being held at police stations, or during court proceedings.

Seizure of property / personal belongings: In at least 3 cases, detentions were accompanied by the alleged unlawful seizure or non-return of personal belongings, including mobile phones.

Retention, or non-return of property/personal belongings: At least 3 distinct practices were identified, including summoning activists for questioning or “interviews,” the use of migration mechanisms against foreign nationals participating in protests, and pressure on persons employed in public service. At least 24 persons employed in the public sector had their employment contracts terminated or not renewed.

11 December

In the Parliament of Georgia, “Georgian Dream” supported in the first reading a package of legislative amendments that included regulation of pyrotechnics and amendments to the Law on Police. The amendments initiated within the package envisaged placing the import, export, production, and sale of pyrotechnic products under a special permit regime. In addition, pyrotechnics were added to the list of items that would be prohibited to possess during demonstrations. The amendments to the Law on Police included in the same package regulated the rules for recruitment to the police, including the possibility of appointment without a special competition under conditions determined by an order of the Minister.

On 11 December, non-governmental organizations disseminated a joint statement, according to which the police were forcibly taking some citizens for questioning. The practice described in the statement was assessed as a possible mechanism of pressure. The organizations also indicated that, in some cases, lawyers were not given the opportunity to meet with the persons concerned.

On the same day, information was disseminated that foreign nationals participating in protest actions were being summoned to the Migration Department. According to the Social Justice Center, based on information received in recent days through the hotline of the legal aid network of non-governmental organizations, foreign nationals participating in protest actions were being summoned to the Migration Department. In parallel, according to reported information, one of the persons who appeared at the Migration Department was forced to leave the territory of Georgia through another country. The organization noted that the expulsion of foreign nationals from the country for participating in peaceful demonstrations does not comply with national legislation and international standards.

On 11 December, in Bolnisi Municipality, public school teacher and civil activist Pikria Epitashvili was attacked. According to reports, an unknown person approached Epitashvili and cut her in the facial area with a razor. Information about the incident was initially disseminated on social media. Epitashvili herself publicly stated that she had received medical assistance and that an investigation had been launched into the incident. In her published statement, the incident was assessed as an act of violence and intimidation linked to the ongoing developments in the country and to her civic position.

12 December

Guram Khutashvili was arrested on 11 December. He is charged with damaging 112 surveillance cameras, which provides for imprisonment from 3 to 6 years. The accused remains in pre-trial detention despite his confession, remorse, and readiness to compensate for the damage. According to the defence, under these circumstances, the use of detention has a punitive character. According to the case file, the accused states that damaging the cameras had not been his aim. Guram Khutashvili’s case was joined with the case of Daniel Mumladze, who was arrested on 9 December. Although the cases concern the qualification of a group offence, the court hearings on the imposition of preventive measures were held separately. The merits hearing will proceed in one set of proceedings.

On 12 December, in Tbilisi, Rondeli Foundation researcher Vato Bzhalava was detained under administrative-offence proceedings on the basis of Article 173 of the Code of Administrative Offences: disobedience to a police order. According to reports, he was taken on Irakli Abashidze Street while walking his dog. According to the defence, after the detention, possible physical violence was used against Bzhalava at the police station and he was asked to provide the password to his phone. The administrative offence protocol referred to resistance; however, according to disseminated video footage, the detained person followed law enforcement officers without resistance.

In Tbilisi, poet Zviad Ratiani was attacked near the entrance of his residential building. According to him, several persons physically assaulted him, as a result of which he sustained injuries. Ratiani had previously been detained under administrative-offence proceedings at the protest action on 29 November. The court sentenced him to 8 days of administrative detention, and he was released on 9 December.

13 December

The Parliament of Georgia adopted amendments to the Law on Public Service under an expedited procedure, in three readings. The amendments concerned the rules for appointment to vacant positions, mechanisms for the evaluation of civil servants, and the regulation of reorganization. The law determined that heads of primary structural units and their deputies would become persons employed under administrative contracts. According to government representatives, the amendments do not automatically result in the termination of service relations, and after reorganization, the results of a competition will determine the status of employees.

The amendments were critically assessed by lawyers and civil society. According to the assessments expressed, the new regulations reduce labour protection guarantees for public servants, change evaluation rules, and limit the effectiveness of judicial control. According to non-governmental organizations, including GYLA, the amendments weaken mechanisms for the protection of rights and increase the risk of politicization of public service. The Public Defender also criticized both the legislative process and the content of the adopted norms, particularly with regard to the abolition of reinstatement rights for persons dismissed on the basis of reorganization.

On the same day, the Parliament of Georgia adopted, under an expedited procedure, a package of legislative amendments that significantly changes regulations related to assemblies and demonstrations, administrative sanctions, and rules of service in the police. The package combines amendments to several laws, including the Law on Assemblies and Demonstrations, the Code of Administrative Offences, and the Law on Police.

The amendments prohibited participants of an assembly or demonstration from carrying pyrotechnics, laser devices, or devices with sharp radiation, as well as from covering the face with a mask or other means. The law determined that the list of persons for whom covering the face will be permissible will be established by the Minister of Internal Affairs. These restrictions will enter into force immediately upon publication.

The amendment to the Law on Police determined that the rules and conditions for recruitment to the police without a special competition will be established by an order of the Minister.

The amendments to the Code of Administrative Offences significantly increased fines for various offences, including violations of the rules on assemblies, vandalism, and actions related to blocking roads. The legal grounds for administrative detention and the confiscation of items were also expanded.

The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association assessed these amendments as legislative initiatives of an undemocratic and repressive nature.

14 December

Tbilisi City Court sentenced Vato Bzhalava to 4 days of administrative detention. He had been detained in Tbilisi on Irakli Abashidze Street on 12 December, on the basis of Article 173 of the Code of Administrative Offences. At the court hearing, Bzhalava stated that he had not resisted law enforcement officers during the detention. According to him, at the police station, one of the officers physically assaulted him and demanded the code to his mobile phone.

According to the party “Droa,” party member and political activist Niko Kvatsabaia was detained under administrative-offence proceedings. Initially, the party indicated that his whereabouts were unknown. Later, according to the lawyer, it was confirmed that Kvatsabaia had been detained under administrative-offence proceedings on the basis of Article 173 of the Code of Administrative Offences. He was transferred to the Dighomi detention facility. According to the defence, the detained person had no injuries.

15 December

According to the lawyer, activist Niko Managadze was detained under administrative-offence proceedings on the basis of Article 173, paragraph 1, of the Code of Administrative Offences. According to reports, the detention took place on Kostava Street in Tbilisi, when he was returning from a protest. According to the defence, Managadze was detained by persons dressed in civilian clothes. According to the lawyer, after the detention, one of the persons entered where he was held and was rudely asking him why he went to protests and how long he intended to continue doing so. In addition, a few hours before the detention, Managadze had been summoned by the Ministry of Internal Affairs for questioning. The activist refused to appear at the department and requested questioning before a magistrate judge.

16 December

On 16 December, a number of statements were disseminated through the media and social networks, according to which demonstrators indicated that, during detentions and the dispersal of protests, their personal belongings, including mobile phones, had been confiscated. Some respondents described cases in which, according to them, the confiscation of items took place without any procedural documentation and by unidentified, often masked, persons. Demonstrators, including Giorgi Bregvadze, Besik Liparteliani, Gia Jvarsheishvili, and Salome Zandukeli, spoke about this practice. Activists also stated that, through special applications, the location of their devices was being registered near administrative buildings of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Non-governmental organizations publicly assessed this practice as possible cases of unlawful confiscation or appropriation and indicated that, in the event of a legal assessment, such actions may contain elements of both property-related and official misconduct offences. According to them, in some cases the confiscation of items was not reflected in the relevant protocols, while the victims did not have their belongings returned after release.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs denied the allegations disseminated and stated that the police acted within the powers granted by legislation. According to the agency, on the basis of the Law on Police and the Code of Administrative Offences, the police have the right, in cases provided for by law, to temporarily confiscate an item from a person. According to the Ministry, personal belongings lawfully confiscated are returned to detainees immediately upon release.

The court hearing in the case of Davit Gogilashvili was held on 17 December. Gogilashvili is detained on the basis of Article 173 of the Code of Administrative Offences, which concerns disobedience to a police order. He was detained at a protest action on 30 November. According to media reports, after the detention, Gogilashvili was transferred to a medical facility; he had a head trauma and injuries to the face. Gogilashvili indicates that physical violence was used against him during the detention. According to him, he was detained by the special-purpose unit, severely beaten, locked in a minibus for 9 hours while bleeding, and ultimately robbed as well. Despite these circumstances, law enforcement bodies allege that he committed an administrative offence.

19 December

A court hearing was held at Tbilisi City Court in the case of protest participant Giorgi Chutkerashvili. He was found to have committed an administrative offence under Article 173 of the Code of Administrative Offences and was fined GEL 2,000.

At the court hearing, Chutkerashvili stated that he had been detained on 2 December at the ongoing protest action on Rustaveli Avenue. According to him, the detention was carried out by members of the special-purpose unit. Chutkerashvili indicated that, during the detention, he was subjected to physical violence and ill-treatment. According to him, as a result of the detention he developed health problems, including deterioration of eyesight; he lost 20% of his vision. Chutkerashvili also stated that the injuries indicated in the official documentation did not reflect his actual condition.

Tbilisi City Court fined disability rights activist Gia Jvarsheishvili GEL 2,200 for disobedience to a police order. Jvarsheishvili was detained on 2 December on Besiki Street in Tbilisi. At the court hearing, he stated that, during the detention, he was subjected to physical violence, verbal abuse, and threats. According to him, these actions were carried out by law enforcement officers.

When Jvarsheishvili was making statements about the violence, the judge noted that these issues did not fall within the subject matter of the administrative offence hearing and indicated that the relevant agency should be addressed for a response to possible ill-treatment. According to information previously disseminated in the media, Jvarsheishvili indicated that, as a result of the detention, he sustained injuries to his health. According to the same reports, he also spoke about the confiscation of personal belongings.

20 December

According to the non-commercial legal entity “Gori Photographers’ Club,” Gori Municipality City Hall requested the termination of the contract concluded with them a few days after the opening of the installation “A City at War Does Not Apologize.” According to the organization, the termination of the contract is linked to their creative activity and freedom of expression. The club did not agree with the City Hall’s decision and announced the initiation of a legal dispute.

Later, Gori Municipality City Hall disseminated an explanation, according to which the contract was terminated on the basis of the conditions provided for in the contract. According to City Hall, the municipality had the right to terminate the agreement, while the reason for the decision was identified as the plan to establish an innovation centre in that space.

Davit Akhalkatsi, representative of the Akhaltsikhe office of the party “Akhali” and a political activist, was detained under administrative-offence proceedings. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, he was detained on the basis of Articles 116 and 173 of the Code of Administrative Offences, which concern petty hooliganism and disobedience to a lawful order of a law enforcement officer. According to media reports, before the detention, a verbal confrontation was recorded between Davit Akhalkatsi and the Deputy Mayor of Akhaltsikhe. According to reports, the incident occurred during a New Year event.

23 December

Tbilisi City Court found Saba Kevkhishvili, who had been detained during the protest actions, to be an administrative offender and issued him a verbal warning. He was accused of committing an offence under Article 173 of the Code of Administrative Offences, which concerns disobedience to a lawful order of a law enforcement officer. Kevkhishvili was detained on 1 December. According to Kevkhishvili, after the detention, physical and verbal violence was used against him. According to the Social Justice Center, “as a result of severe physical assault by masked special-purpose officers, he had injuries in the facial area — fractures of the nasal and jaw bones, as well as of the eye socket, and a concussion.”

Tbilisi City Court imposed a verbal warning as an administrative liability measure on actor Giorgi Bakhutashvili, who had been detained at a protest action. At the court hearing, Bakhutashvili explained that his detention took place in circumstances where he was calling on a police officer not to detain a citizen who was unwell. According to him, he did not enter into physical contact with the law enforcement officer and only addressed him verbally. Bakhutashvili stated that the detention took place precisely during this episode.

26 December

According to reports, the labour contracts of some employees working at the National Agency for Crime Prevention, Execution of Non-Custodial Sentences and Probation were not renewed from 2025. According to the Ministry of Justice, contracts were terminated for approximately up to 10 employees.

Social workers Ana Endeladze and Mariam Siradze publicly stated that their contracts had been terminated. According to them, the decision was unexpected and they did not receive relevant written justification. Both indicated that there had previously been no disciplinary or professional complaints against them.

A public statement was also made by mediator Giorgi Abuladze, who linked the termination of his contract to his political position. According to him, the agency did not renew contracts with three mediators.

According to the Social Workers’ Union, the termination of contracts affected several social workers. The organization considered the process suspicious and pointed to possible politically motivated decisions. For their part, the Ministry of Justice and the agency denied political motivation and stated that the decisions were linked to the expiry of short-term contracts.

On the same day, Giga Sopromadze, coordinator of disability programmes at Tbilisi City Hall, who had worked in this position for approximately 8 years, was dismissed from his job. According to documents publicly disseminated by him, the basis for the termination of the contract was the absence of the need for a non-staff position. The document states that the programmes implemented by City Hall already have coordinators, and therefore the existence of this position is no longer necessary. The order terminating the contract was signed by Kakha Kaladze. For his part, Giga Sopromadze stated that the decision was unexpected for him and that he had not previously received any complaints related to his professional activity. Later, on 27 December, Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze stated that Sopromadze’s dismissal had not been politically motivated. According to him, Sopromadze was a non-staff employee employed under a contract; the term of his contract had expired and there was no longer a need to renew it. According to publicly available information, Giga Sopromadze participated in ongoing protest actions and publicly expressed his position.

The organization Partnership for Human Rights responded to insulting and threatening messages disseminated on social media against disability rights activist and human rights defender Tatia Datashvili. According to reports, Tatia Datashvili stated that Facebook user Marina Kirtadze had disseminated insulting statements against her and sent her threatening voice messages. According to Datashvili, these actions were linked to her civic position and human rights work. According to the Partnership for Human Rights (PHR), Datashvili received insulting and threatening messages because of her activism and publicly expressed position. The organization addressed law enforcement bodies regarding this fact and requested an appropriate response.

27 December

According to the organization “Sapari,” they will provide legal assistance to Women’s March participant Ketevan Meskhi, who, according to reports, became a victim of physical violence on 25 December at Orbeliani Square. According to reports, the incident occurred during the Women’s March. According to available information, an unknown person verbally insulted participants of the march, after which he physically assaulted Ketevan Meskh. According to the victim, she sustained bodily injuries.

Former Tbilisi City Hall employee Nino Kiknadze publicly stated that the municipality terminated her labour contract. According to her, she was informed of the decision on 27 December and was told that her contract would no longer be renewed from 1 January 2025. According to Nino Kiknadze, the termination of the contract is linked to her publicly expressed political position. Kiknadze indicated that for years she had cooperated within Tbilisi City Hall on international cultural projects.

Tbilisi City Court imposed a fine of GEL 2,500 in an administrative case on Saba Skhvitaridze, who had been detained at a protest action. The decision was made by Judge Zviad Tsekvava. Administrative proceedings against Saba Skhvitaridze were conducted under Article 174¹, paragraph 4, and Articles 166 and 173 of the Code of Administrative Offences, which concern the artificial blocking of the carriageway, petty hooliganism, and disobedience to a lawful order of a police officer. According to the lawyer, the court examined these cases jointly. At the court hearing, Saba Skhvitaridze stated, regarding the circumstances of the detention, that his detention took place after a physical incident with the police. According to him, physical violence was used against him during the detention. During the same period, Saba Skhvitaridze was in detention within the framework of a criminal case; he had been arrested on 5 December. After the arrest, he spoke about ill-treatment by law enforcement officers.

According to information disseminated in the media, statements were made about possible pressure on some Tbilisi City Hall employees. According to an anonymous source, City Hall employees were being urged to withdraw their signatures from a public statement related to the European Union; otherwise, they were being warned about the non-renewal of labour contracts.

According to the same information, in one structural unit, a person in a managerial position was instructed to dismiss employees who had signed the statement, after which, according to reports, he left his position. Former City Hall employee Giga Sopromadze spoke publicly about these circumstances and stated that pressure was being exerted on employees who had signed the statement. According to him, the number of signatories decreased. Sopromadze referred to a relevant document, according to which the statement was initially signed by approximately 240 employees, while later the number of signatures decreased.

Tbilisi City Court found Sandro Bukia, who had been detained on 7 December, to be an administrative offender. By the decision of Judge Nino Enukidze, he was found to be an offender on the basis of Article 173 of the Code of Administrative Offences and was issued a verbal warning. According to reports, Sandro Bukia was detained on 7 December in the area surrounding Rustaveli metro station. According to media reports, the detention took place while he was moving. According to media reports, during the detention, a family member pointed to the detained person’s health condition.

According to reports, behavioural therapist Salome Mchedlidze was dismissed from the Rustavi Municipality Rehabilitation and Development Centre. According to her, the labour contract, the term of which expired on 31 December, was not renewed from 2025. Salome Mchedlidze explained that she was involved in ABA therapy and rehabilitation-habilitation programmes. According to her, the only reason given for the termination of the contract was the expiry of the contract term, while she links the decision to her political position. According to her, the contract of one more behavioural therapist was also not renewed, while two employees, according to reports, left their jobs in solidarity with them.

Tbilisi City Court released protest demonstration participant Bilal Duishvili with a verbal warning within the framework of administrative proceedings. The decision was made by Judge Zviad Tsekvava. According to reports, Bilal Duishvili was detained on 4 December during the protest action. According to available reports, during the detention process he indicated physical violence by law enforcement officers. According to the same information, his personal belongings were confiscated during the detention. According to information disseminated in the media, after the detention Bilal Duishvili was transferred to a medical facility. According to reports, he had a fractured nose, multiple bruises, and a concussion, because of which he remained in a clinic for several days.

On 27 December, Taia Makharashvili, an employee of Tbilisi City Hall’s Media Relations Service, was dismissed from City Hall. According to her, the decision was political in nature. Makharashvili stated that the official reason given to her was that her labour contract would not be renewed because the position she held had been abolished. According to her, this explanation raises doubts, especially against the background that she was among the signatories of the public statement in which City Hall employees expressed loyalty to the Constitution and European integration. Makharashvili also indicates that a few days earlier she had participated in the establishment of a trade union together with other public servants, which, in her assessment, points to the possible political motive of the decision.

On similar grounds due to the abolition of the position Lana Kardava, an employee of the Public Relations Department, was also dismissed from City Hall. Kardava wrote on social media that she views the decision in a political context and links it to the ongoing developments in the country. The series of dismissals was preceded by another case: on 26 December, after 8 years of work, Giga Sopromadze, who held the position of coordinator of disability programmes, was dismissed from City Hall. It should be noted that the statement disseminated in early December, in which City Hall employees expressed support for the course of European integration, was signed by more than 220 employees. Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze publicly called this statement “sabotage” and stated that there would be a response.

On 27 December, Mikheil Butskhrikidze, Head of the Office of the Adigeni Municipal Council, was dismissed from his position. The decision was preceded by his public statement on social media, published on 26 December. Butskhrikidze stated that he distanced himself from the decision of “Georgian Dream” regarding the suspension of the European integration process and condemned the violent dispersal of citizens’ peaceful protest.

One day after expressing his public position, he was dismissed from the Municipal Council Office. Butskhrikidze himself also disseminated information about his dismissal on social media, where he stated that he had worked in public service for more than ten years and had served the country “with a clear conscience.”

29 December

On Rustaveli Avenue, in the area surrounding Kashveti Church, the police detained protest participants. According to eyewitnesses, the demonstrators were not occupying the carriageway and it was unclear to them what became the basis for the detentions. The situation on site became tense and there was a confrontation. One of the protest participants told the media that the gathered persons were standing on the sidewalk and near the lawn, while part of the road had been blocked by the police themselves. In his assessment, law enforcement officers were detaining people through the use of force.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs explained that 6 persons had been detained under administrative-offence proceedings. Later, the agency stated that all six detained persons had been released on the basis of a written undertaking. They were accused of petty hooliganism and disobedience to a police order. According to police officers on site, the reason for the detentions was the alleged insulting of law enforcement officers by protest participants.

According to the assessment of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, the detentions were carried out by violent methods. The organization stated that actions such as pulling hair and dragging citizens on the ground were documented, which, in its assessment, violate the freedoms of peaceful assembly and expression and do not comply with legal norms.

30 December

Government Administration employee Mate Sokhadze states that his labour contract will not be renewed from January 2025. In his assessment, this decision is politically motivated.

Sokhadze writes on social media that he received information about the non-renewal of the contract at the end of December. According to him, the decision was not entirely unexpected, although he notes that he did not receive any official justification. Sokhadze links his dismissal to his public positions, including signing a statement by persons employed in the public sector and participating in protest actions. The Government Administration explains that Mate Sokhadze was a non-staff employee, the term of his contract had expired, and its renewal was not planned. The agency states that the decision is not linked to political factors and that it has no information about Sokhadze’s “political taste.”

Recently, information has been disseminated about the dismissal of a number of persons employed under labour contracts from public agencies. According to various media reports, the dismissals affected both the Crime Prevention and Probation Center and Tbilisi City Hall.

On 30 December, information was disseminated according to which some employees of the National Agency of Public Registry state that their labour contracts will not be renewed from 2025. The employees disseminated the relevant statements on social media.

One of the first persons to write publicly about the non-renewal of her contract was Ani Mamukelashvili, who noted that on 30 December an HR representative informed her of the decision. In her assessment, this step is linked to her signing of the petition of Public Registry employees. Nino Kharchilava also links her dismissal to her civic positions. According to her, for several years she was involved in the systematic land registration project and learned about the termination of her contract precisely after participating in the petition. A statement of similar content was disseminated by Sali Kapanadze, who writes that the agency ended cooperation with her after many years of work. Elza Geladze also links the decision to political circumstances and states that the official reason given to her was “the absence of a need for staff.” Fikria Ardia also speaks of a political motive, stating that the non-renewal of her contract is linked to her political views. In the same context, other agency employees — Ana Gurasashvili, Meri Tagoshvili, and Zura Gegeshidze — also write about their positions and dismissal, noting that the decision was politically motivated.

Incidents Documented Against Civil Activists – 1–10 December 2024

Context

At the beginning of December 2024, large-scale protest assemblies were taking place in various cities of Georgia. The protest wave was related to political decisions concerning the process of accession to the European Union and to broad public dissatisfaction. During this period, protest assemblies were held on a daily basis.

During the reporting period, law enforcement officers repeatedly dispersed peaceful protest assemblies, used force and special means, and detained citizens both under administrative-offence proceedings and arrested them in criminal proceedings. Searches of personal and residential premises were carried out at the addresses of various persons. During detention, transportation, and while being held by law enforcement bodies, citizens alleged ill-treatment. The reports describe physical violence, verbal abuse, and psychological pressure. In individual cases, citizens indicated the unlawful confiscation of personal belongings, including mobile phones and bags, by law enforcement officers. During the indicated period, courts imposed administrative detention or financial sanctions against civil or political activists. In addition, pre-trial detention was applied as a preventive measure against all persons arrested in criminal proceedings.

Restriction of the freedoms of assembly and expression: During the reporting period, police forces dispersed protest demonstrations 5 times.
Criminal arrests: As of 10 December, according to official data, approximately 40 persons had been arrested in criminal proceedings.
Administrative detentions: For the same period, more than 400 persons had been detained under administrative-offence proceedings.
Physical violence / ill-treatment: Out of 327 detained and injured persons visited by the Public Defender, 225 alleged ill-treatment, while visible injuries were documented in 157 cases.
Financial sanctions / administrative proceedings: During the reporting period, courts applied administrative liability measures, including fines amounting in total to at least GEL 8,100, as well as verbal warnings.
Confiscation of property / personal belongings: During the reporting period, at least 5 cases were documented where detentions were accompanied by the alleged unlawful confiscation of personal belongings, including mobile phones.
Criminal prosecution / initiation of investigation: Within the framework of court practice, pre-trial detention was imposed on at least 19 accused persons, namely in the so-called cases involving 8 persons and 11 persons.
Indirect pressure / “Chilling Effect”: At least 3 different types of practices were identified that indicate indirect pressure, including the context of reorganization in the public sector, mass police control related to protest spaces, and the practice of summoning activists to investigative bodies.

1 December 2024, Tbilisi

During the night hours, according to reports, special-purpose forces used special means against demonstrators, including water cannons and tear gas. An assessment of the available reports indicates that, in individual episodes, the use of force and special means did not comply with the principle of proportionality.

According to various sources, tear gas was used in circumstances connected with enclosed spaces, including near the entrances of residential buildings and within the inner perimeter of buildings, which requires particular legal assessment in the context of safety standards. During the reporting period, signs of restrictions related to the movement of protest participants were also documented, including restrictions on the possibility to leave the area and the use of encirclement tactics.

Throughout the night of 1–2 December, in more than ten episodes, special-purpose forces continued to use special means against peaceful demonstrators, including water cannons and tear gas.

Researcher Shota Narsia was detained on 1 December, at approximately 01:39, in the area surrounding the streets of Dzmebi Zubalashvilebi and Lesia Ukrainka. According to reports, the detention was preceded by physical violence by special-purpose forces, including blows and the use of force, despite the fact that he was not resisting. Narsia indicated both physical injuries and verbal abuse and psychological pressure.

Gia Jvarsheishvili, a disability rights defender and activist, was violently detained on Rustaveli Avenue during the night of 1–2 December. According to him, special-purpose officers physically assaulted him on the spot, despite the fact that he had his hands raised in a sign of peace. After the detention, according to Jvarsheishvili’s account, the violence continued in a special vehicle, where he was beaten and his ability to move was restricted. The beating was so intense that, according to available information, the activist sustained serious injuries — he was diagnosed with fractured ribs and a concussion and had difficulty breathing. Jvarsheishvili describes that the physical violence was accompanied by degrading and aggressive verbal abuse. According to him, medical assistance became possible only after his condition sharply deteriorated. He also states that police officers removed from his pocket his mobile phone and wallet, which contained money and personal documents. They also took his backpack.

Rati Bokolishvili was detained on the morning of 1 December on Rustaveli Avenue while he was returning home from the protest. According to his account, law enforcement officers unexpectedly attacked him and the persons accompanying him, despite the fact that they had not resisted. Bokolishvili describes that during the detention and afterwards, in a special vehicle, repeated physical violence was carried out against him, including blows to the face and body. According to him, the violence was accompanied by verbal abuse and threats. As a result of the injuries sustained, he was diagnosed with damage to the nasal septum and a concussion, and medical assistance and treatment became necessary. Bokolishvili also states that, at that time, his personal belongings were taken, including a mobile phone, backpack, helmet, and respirator mask.

Saba Kevkhishvili was detained on 1 December, in the early morning hours, on Rustaveli Avenue after the dispersal of a mass peaceful assembly. According to the organization, after the detention, physical violence was carried out against him, as a result of which he had serious injuries, including fractures of the nose, jaw, and eye socket, and a concussion. According to Kevkhishvili, he was beaten in a minibus, threatened, and his mobile phone and personal belongings were taken from him.

Thirty-eight-year-old Temur Zasokhashvili was initially detained under administrative-offence proceedings, and after 48 hours he was charged in criminal proceedings. He is accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail on 1 December on Rustaveli Avenue, as a result of which, according to the prosecution’s version, a water cannon vehicle was damaged; the court imposed pre-trial detention on him as a preventive measure. According to the lawyers, Zasokhashvili had serious physical injuries at the time of detention, while his identification on the basis of video footage and photo identification in the case is disputed. According to the lawyers, at the time of detention he had serious physical injuries, including in the facial and body areas, and had difficulty moving. According to his lawyer, after the detention, Zasokhashvili was in serious physical condition — he had bruises and blood effusions on his face, had difficulty moving, and even had difficulty opening his eye.

Fifty-three-year-old Davit Lomidze was initially detained by the police on 1 December 2024 at the ongoing protest on Rustaveli Avenue under administrative-offence proceedings, and after the expiry of 48 hours he was charged in criminal proceedings. He is accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail towards employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs; on 4 December, the court imposed pre-trial detention on him as a preventive measure. According to the defence, physical violence and psychological pressure were used against Lomidze during the detention, and his personal belongings were also confiscated. Lomidze does not plead guilty, while the lawyer considers the evidence presented in the case to be insufficient and disputed. According to the defence, after the detention, physical violence was carried out against Lomidze during his transfer to a minibus; his hands were tied and he was beaten. According to the lawyer, the violence was also accompanied by psychological pressure, including demands for cooperation and for changing testimony. In addition, special-purpose officers stole Davit Lomidze’s personal belongings; he had with him a mobile phone, wallet, and bank cards.

Twenty-one-year-old Giorgi Mindadze, a medical university student, was arrested on 1 December 2024 in Mtskheta Municipality. The Prosecutor’s Office accuses him of throwing pyrotechnics towards law enforcement officers, while the court imposed pre-trial detention on him as a preventive measure. According to the defence, the prosecution relies on a photograph and a police officer’s testimony to substantiate the charge; however, the lawyer considers the evidence insufficient. According to the family, at the time of the arrest, Mindadze’s whereabouts were unknown to his mother, which forced her to search for her son in various agencies.

Actress Natia Bunturi states that, during unrest at the protest, law enforcement officers helped her up and took her to a side street under the pretext of removing her from the area. According to her, at that location, while speaking with police officers, she was struck on the head, as a result of which she sustained an injury. According to Bunturi, after the incident, she was removed from the area.

One of the protest participants, Tamar Zhvania, was transferred to hospital. According to relatives, she had been standing in front of the special-purpose forces during the protest. According to reports, she had difficulty speaking and showed signs of disorientation.

2 December 2024

The Ministry of Internal Affairs began dispersing the protest at 21:45. Special-purpose forces moved from Freedom Square and the surrounding areas towards Rustaveli Avenue and were deployed towards the area surrounding Parliament, including the perimeter of Kashveti Church. Special means were used in the process of dispersing the protest. By approximately 22:10, law enforcement officers used tear gas. The protest was preceded by public statements of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, in which the agency called on participants to disperse and referred to the use of special means.

According to the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, during the dispersal of the protest, there were alleged cases of excessive use of force. According to the organization, facts of infliction of physical injuries on demonstrators were documented, and some of the injured persons required medical assistance.

By 7:00 in the morning, police forces began dispersing the protest and also detained protest participants. Among the detained persons was human rights defender Giorgi Davituri. He is the Head of the Rule of Law and Media Freedom Direction at the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information.

Judge Zviad Tsekvava of Tbilisi City Court sentenced poet Zviad Ratiani, who had been detained at the 28 November protest, to 8 days of administrative detention. According to the lawyer, he was taken directly from the hospital to the court and from there to a detention facility. According to relatives, Ratiani sustained physical injuries during the detention. Zviad Ratiani sustained serious injuries during the detention, including multiple fractures and bruises, which required urgent medical intervention and bed rest. Despite his serious health condition, Ratiani was taken directly from the hospital to court, after which administrative detention was imposed on him. According to relatives, this decision practically disregarded the victim’s medical needs.

Giorgi Chutkerashvili was detained by special-purpose officers during the 2 December protest. According to him, during the detention process and afterwards, while in the vehicle, physical violence and threats were used against him. Giorgi Chutkerashvili recounts that special-purpose officers severely assaulted him during the detention. According to him, they first threw him to the ground, struck him on the back of the head, and threatened to kill him, after which they forced him into a vehicle. According to Chutkerashvili’s account, the physical violence continued in the vehicle as well — he was hit in different parts of the body, including in the face and on the back of the head, despite his requests that they stop beating him. He also recalls that law enforcement officers mocked him, verbally abused him, and threatened to inflict physical injury. According to him, the violence continued repeatedly, and one of the persons struck him in the nose area. Chutkerashvili notes that, during the detention process, they also took photographs of him and asked whether he was allegedly involved in organizing the protests.

Lazare Maghlakelidze was detained on 2 December, in the early morning hours, in the context of the protest action. According to him, after the detention, law enforcement officers used violence against him several times, including during transfer in a vehicle. Maghlakelidze notes that the physical violence was accompanied by threats and degrading treatment. Lazare Maghlakelidze states that, after the detention, special-purpose officers used violence against him repeatedly. According to him, law enforcement officers first checked whether journalists were absent, after which they began physical assault; they covered his head with a raincoat and beat him in a group, including in the face and body areas. Maghlakelidze recalls that he lost consciousness as a result of the beating, and after regaining consciousness, the violence continued. According to his account, he was thrown into a minibus together with other detainees, where special-purpose officers periodically returned and continued beating them, including in complete darkness. According to the victim, the physical violence was accompanied by severe verbal abuse and threats of rape.

Twenty-four-year-old Dato Abuladze, a person with disabilities, was detained and beaten by special-purpose forces at the protest. According to available information, three special-purpose officers approached him and his friend, confiscated personal belongings, and physically assaulted them. After the detention, Abuladze was taken to a police station, where an interpreter was not provided, despite the fact that his only language of communication is sign language. Later, he was placed in a clinic. Dato Abuladze is receiving treatment at Ingorokva Clinic. He has bruising around the eyes, a concussion, and injuries to his legs.

Twenty-six-year-old Davit Khomeriki was arrested on 2 December 2024. The Prosecutor’s Office accuses him of preparing an explosion using a so-called Molotov cocktail, while the court imposed pre-trial detention on him as a preventive measure. Khomeriki does not plead guilty and states that the items referred to in the case did not belong to him. According to the defence, the video material presented does not enable the identification of the accused, while the expert report does not consider the seized substances to be explosive or flammable. According to the lawyer, the charge is based mainly on the search protocol.

Murad Gevorgyan was arrested by law enforcement officers in Tbilisi in a case related to the protest actions. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, he is accused of throwing a burning object towards the Parliament building, as a result of which a fire broke out in the building.

An ambulance transferred A.T., who had been detained and beaten at the protest, from Tbilisi City Court to Ghudushauri Clinic. According to human rights defenders, while in the detention facility, the detained person complained of a severe headache; however, his health condition was left unattended and he was not transferred to hospital. The court hearing continued late into the night and, despite the deterioration of his health condition, the hearing was not postponed. A.T. was detained on 30 November during the dispersal of the protest and, according to available information, was placed in the detention facility in a beaten condition.

A member of “Girchi – More Freedom” and political activist Gela Khasaia was attacked near his home. According to him, three masked persons approached him from behind, struck him in the back, as a result of which he fell face-first onto gravel, and they hit him on the back, legs, and face. After the incident, an ambulance was called to the scene.

According to the Ministry of Health, on 2 December, against the background of the protest actions, ambulance teams transferred 26 persons to medical facilities. According to official data, among those hospitalized were 23 protest participants and 3 representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. According to the agency, some of the injured persons remained under doctors’ supervision in clinics, while some had already left medical facilities. According to the Ministry, none of the injured persons’ lives were in danger. It is noted that this statistic includes only those persons whose hospitalization was carried out by the Emergency Situations Coordination and Urgent Assistance Centre.

ISFED researcher Shota Narsia, who had been detained at the protest, was fined GEL 2,800 by the court. Narsia was detained on the morning of 1 December. According to the organization, the detention episode was accompanied by physical violence — he was hit from behind, dragged on the ground after falling, and later pressed against a wall. According to reported information, after the detention Narsia indicated both physical injuries and verbal abuse and psychological pressure.

3 December 2024

After the dispersal of the assembly in front of Parliament, the protest continued on Rustaveli Avenue. During the night, the situation periodically escalated. According to reports, police forces pursued demonstrators and used special means, including gas capsules. According to footage disseminated by the media, the use of gas capsules on Rustaveli Avenue was also recorded from the roofs of buildings, which requires particular attention from the perspective of safety.

In addition, according to reports, on 3 December, at approximately 03:00, in parallel with police operations taking place on Shevchenko Street, outdoor lighting was temporarily switched off on Rustaveli Avenue and in the surrounding area.

Anton Chechin, a Russian citizen, was arrested in Georgia in a criminal case related to the protest actions. He is accused of purchasing and possessing a large amount of narcotic substances, although he does not plead guilty. The defence points to inconsistencies in the evidence, including the absence of video evidence and possible violence during the arrest.

According to the Prosecutor’s Office, charges were brought against three persons arrested in criminal proceedings in connection with the protest actions held near Parliament, and pre-trial detention was imposed on them as a preventive measure, including Giorgi Mindadze and Murad Gevorgyan. According to the agency, one accused person is alleged to have injured a law enforcement officer through the use of pyrotechnics, the second is alleged to have set fire to the surveillance system installed on the Parliament building, and the third is alleged to have damaged one of the rooms of Parliament as a result of a fire.

Twenty-two-year-old Aleksi Tirkia, who was injured during the protest action of 3 December, sustained serious injuries. He was placed in Ingorokva Clinic and was under medically induced sleep. According to doctors, the patient had an open scalp wound, fractures of the frontal bone and the upper wall of the eye socket, as well as a contusion injury of the frontal lobe and traumatic haemorrhage.

Persons detained at the protest on Rustaveli Avenue were transferred to Zahesi and various temporary detention facilities. According to lawyer Lasha Tkesheladze, some of the detained persons bear traces of physical violence. According to the lawyer, one of the detained persons is an 18-year-old musician who is a DJ. According to him, during the detention, law enforcement officers used violence against him: initially they hit him after he had fallen, and then the beating continued in the vehicle as well. According to Lasha Tkesheladze, the detained person has multiple injuries in the face and body areas, including around the eyes.

As of 3 December, according to the Public Defender’s Office, representatives of the Ombudsperson had visited a total of 201 persons, including a 21-year-old young person placed in Ingorokva University Clinic, whose serious health condition had been reported in the media. According to the Ombudsperson, on 1–3 December, they additionally visited 75 persons in temporary detention facilities and clinics in Tbilisi, Baghdati, Gori, and Zestaponi. Of these, 56 alleged ill-treatment by members of the special-purpose unit, while 44 detained persons had injuries of various kinds.

On 3 December, Davit Janjalia, the son of former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Teimuraz Janjalia, stated on social media that a physical attack against him and his family members was being planned. According to him, he had received this information from several sources at the same time and identified possible locations of the attack as both his residential environment and protest actions. Davit Janjalia linked this statement to his father’s resignation from office.

Teimuraz Janjalia resigned from his post on 30 November. On 1 December, Irakli Kobakhidze stated that the decision to dismiss him had been made by “Georgian Dream,” while Janjalia himself noted that his resignation was linked to recent developments — the government’s decision to suspend negotiations on accession to the European Union until 2028 and the mass protest actions that began against this background.

4 December 2024

During the protest action ongoing on Rustaveli Avenue on 3–4 December, from 23:30, the special-purpose unit began dispersing the assembly. Before that, at 22:23, the Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that the protest participants were carrying out unlawful actions, although as of 23:21 the majority of the protest participants on site were peaceful.

Special means were used in the process of dispersing the assembly, including water cannons and tear gas. Tear gas capsules were used in large quantities, including in places where demonstrators were densely gathered. Information was also disseminated about the use of special means from the roofs of buildings, including in the area surrounding the Rustaveli National Theatre. Some protest participants indicated the harmful effects of special means on their health.

In the early morning hours of 4 December, from approximately 03:29, the special-purpose unit continued dispersing the assembly in the direction of Rustaveli Square. During the same period, additional police forces were deployed on Republic Square. Cases of restrictions on the movement of protest participants were documented, including restrictions on the possibility to freely leave the area, the blocking of demonstrators’ movement, and their forced movement in specific directions. According to the legal aid network of non-governmental organizations, these events were also accompanied by cases of detention.

The organization “Rights Georgia” states that a 20-year-old citizen detained on 4 December was transferred from the court building to a clinic due to the deterioration of his health condition. According to the organization, while the detained person was held in the Dighomi detention facility for approximately 35 hours, he requested medical assistance; however, he was not transferred to a clinic. According to the defence, the young person’s condition deteriorated during the court hearing, after which emergency medical assistance was called by the lawyer. The organization points to possible ill-treatment during detention and while being held in the detention facility. The position of official agencies on this matter is not presented in the statement.

Persons detained on Rustaveli Avenue were transferred to Zahesi and various temporary detention facilities. According to lawyer Lasha Tkesheladze, some of the detained persons had physical injuries. According to him, one of the detained persons visited in the Zahesi detention facility, an 18-year-old musician, had injuries on his body. According to the lawyer, the detained person indicated possible physical violence during detention. Tkesheladze stated that the young person had multiple injuries in the face and body areas.

Archil Museliantsi was arrested by the Patrol Police on charges of damaging property. According to the agency, he intentionally damaged video surveillance cameras located in Mziuri Park. The investigation is ongoing under Article 187, paragraph 1, of the Criminal Code, which provides for imprisonment of up to 5 years.

Vepkhia Kasradze was arrested on charges of organizing and leading group violence. At the moment of arrest, he was carrying out renovation work in one of the apartments; the police asked on site who Vepkhia Kasradze was, after which he identified himself and peacefully surrendered to law enforcement officers. On the same day, a search was conducted at his residential home, where family members were present. According to the family, law enforcement officers were searching for weapons, although no such items were found.

Vasil Kadzelashvili was arrested at his residential home on charges of organizing and leading group violence. According to family members, a large number of police forces participated in the operation. In parallel with the arrest, a search was conducted, within which, according to the family, law enforcement officers were searching for weapons, although no such items were found.

On 4 December, at 18:58, a search was conducted in the residential apartment of Zviad Tsetskhladze, founder of “Dafioni.” According to reports, investigative actions continued for several hours, while the lawyer was allowed into the apartment only after the decision to arrest him had been made. Law enforcement officers removed gas masks, clothing, and spray devices from the apartment. Zviad Tsetskhladze is charged with an offence provided for under Article 225 of the Criminal Code, which concerns organizing, leading, or participating in group violence.

On 4 December, in the group violence case, Nikoloz Javakhishvili, Giorgi Gorgadze, Tornike Goshadze, Irakli Miminoshvili, and Insaf Aliev were arrested in criminal proceedings. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, they were participants and perpetrators of the group violence plan, the organization of which the agency alleges against Vasil Kadzelashvili, Vepkhia Kasradze, and Zviad Tsetskhladze. The cases concerning these persons have been joined into one set of proceedings and the court will consider them together.

The police also conducted a search at the residential home of Ilia State University lecturer Saba Jajania. According to his wife, Ana Kvanchilashvili, law enforcement officers entered the apartment to conduct investigative actions. Ana Kvanchilashvili stated that, in parallel, police officers also went to her mother’s home, where, according to her, the search was preceded by a threat to force open the door. According to the family, after the incident, the mother’s health condition deteriorated and it became necessary to call emergency medical assistance. Lawyer Tamar Gurchiani wrote that the search in Saba Jajania’s apartment was conducted on the basis of an investigator’s decree, on the grounds of urgent necessity, without a witness or a lawyer. According to her, before arriving on site, the lawyer did not participate in the search process.

A search was conducted at the residential home of Ilia Ghlonti, an activist and member of “Daitove.” After the investigative action was completed, law enforcement officers sealed and removed his mobile phone and laptop. According to reports, no unlawful items were removed from the residence. “Daitove” is one of the largest Facebook groups, uniting more than 236,000 people. Protests against “Georgian Dream” are actively discussed in the group.

After Ilia Ghlonti, a search was also conducted at the residential home of the group’s founder, Nancy Woland / Kristina Botkoveli. As a result of investigative actions that continued for several hours, a gas mask, pepper spray, and a mobile phone were seized from the apartment.

Law enforcement officers entered the office of the “Nabiji” movement on Rustaveli Avenue, where a search was conducted as an urgent measure. According to disseminated footage, the investigator explained that the basis for the investigative action was an assumption that unlawful items or substances might be stored in the office.

According to party representatives, a search was conducted at the office of the “United National Movement,” during which, according to them, law enforcement officers did not present a search warrant or a court ruling and also refused to allow lawyers to enter. According to them, various items were seized from the office, including flags and saline solutions. After the search was completed, the police took five persons — Davit Gedenidze, Vakhtang Gagnidze, Irakli Ardia, Saba Birkaia, and Mishiko Janikashvili — for questioning.

Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze referred to the statement disseminated by City Hall employees, in which they distanced themselves from the suspension of negotiations on accession to the European Union, as an “attempted sabotage.” Ultimately, 229 employees signed the petition.

Kaladze stated that such actions “would not remain unanswered” and that a response would be made within the framework of the law. He made an analogous assessment on 1 December as well, when he mentioned reorganization in this context.

Non-governmental organizations expressed concern that reorganization could become a mechanism of indirect pressure and affect the freedom of expression of public servants.

On 4 December, cases of mass checks and control of citizens heading to the protest were documented in the upper concourses of the “Freedom Square” and “Rustaveli” metro stations and in the surrounding areas. According to disseminated footage, law enforcement officers stopped citizens, checked them, and opened their personal belongings, which hindered movement towards the assembly site.

According to the assessment of the Social Justice Centre, this practice goes beyond the framework of a surface check defined by law, as such actions require individual legal grounds and do not include the opening of personal belongings. The organization indicates that such actions may be assessed as a form of psychological pressure on citizens and calls on the Ministry of Internal Affairs to act within the law.

5 December 2024

Irakli Ardia, Saba Birkaia, and Vakho Gagnidze were detained during the search of the UNM office. Later, the court sentenced them to administrative detention: Irakli Ardia to 7 days, Saba Birkaia to 7 days, and Vakho Gagnidze to 14 days.

Zurab Datunashvili was detained under administrative-offence proceedings under Articles 166 and 173 of the Code of Administrative Offences, which concern petty hooliganism and disobedience to a lawful order of a police officer. According to his lawyer, during the detention and the process of transfer to the detention facility, physical violence was used against Datunashvili, as a result of which he had injuries.

On 5 December, in Kutaisi, several demonstrators were injured as a result of a scuffle with the police during the protest action. According to local media, law enforcement officers detained one minor, who was transferred to a temporary detention facility. According to reports, the detention process was accompanied by tension; protest participants objected to the removal of the minor, although the police removed him from the perimeter through the use of force and transferred him to a temporary detention facility. According to media reports, the detention was allegedly linked to the use of light pyrotechnics in the direction of police officers.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Saba Jikia was arrested on charges of assaulting the police. According to the agency, during the ongoing protest on Rustaveli Avenue, he, armed with a knife, attacked an employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs with the aim of causing injury to health. The investigation is ongoing under Article 353¹, paragraph 1, of the Criminal Code, which provides for imprisonment of up to 7 years.

Saba Skhvitaridze was arrested late at night in connection with the confrontation that took place on Freedom Square. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, he attacked employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs with a baton and inflicted a head injury; Skhvitaridze has been charged under Article 353¹, paragraph 2, of the Criminal Code, which concerns harm to the health of a police officer and provides for imprisonment from 7 to 11 years. According to information later disseminated by the detained person, he was physically abused at the Dighomi Main Division. Saba Skhvitaridze, a member of “Coalition for Change” and a political activist, was stopped at night by the Patrol Police, handcuffed, and detained. According to him, the body camera was turned on only for several seconds and was then turned off, while a family member was not given the opportunity to contact a lawyer. As he describes, after being transferred to the Tbilisi Main Division, law enforcement officers took him to the fifth floor, where, as soon as the investigators left the room, masked persons entered. The detained person says that they began physical violence, hitting him in the head and body areas, as a result of which he periodically lost consciousness. According to him, the violence later continued, including after being taken to another floor, where he again speaks of beating and pressure by masked persons. The detained person notes that his injuries were recorded, although pressure to give testimony continued. Skhvitaridze did not sign the protocol.

Anzor / Anri Kvaratskhelia was arrested at his home on 5 December. According to family members, law enforcement officers entered the house by force. According to them, during the arrest, physical force was used against Anri and his family members: they were kicked, while Anri was taken out of the house wearing only underwear. According to him, the persons present on site swore at and threatened him. The Prosecutor’s Office claims that Kvaratskhelia attacked an employee of the Special Tasks Department and threw a so-called Molotov cocktail, which provides for imprisonment from 4 to 7 years. The court imposed pre-trial detention on him as a preventive measure. According to family members and the lawyer, despite their request, law enforcement officers did not present a search or arrest warrant, while entry into the house was violent. Kvaratskhelia’s wife states that the police officers behaved aggressively, verbally abused them, and also touched them physically. According to her, one of the law enforcement officers grabbed her by the throat, demanded that she put down her phone, and, against the background of resistance, Kvaratskhelia was removed from the apartment through the use of force — in effect, dragged out.

Twenty-eight-year-old theatre and film actor Andro Chichinadze was arrested at his home on 5 December 2024. According to family members, a large number of police officers were mobilized at the residential address, while some media outlets disseminated footage of the arrest. The official charge in the case is linked to the events that developed near Parliament on the night of 29 November. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, Andro participated in the actions of a violent group, which was expressed in throwing various objects, including a stick, in the direction of law enforcement officers. He is accused of participating in group violence.

Onise Tskhadadze was arrested in Terjola, at the family home. According to relatives, a large number of police officers participated in the operation. He is currently in pre-trial detention. If the charge is proven, he faces 4 to 6 years’ imprisonment. He is accused of participating in group violence.

Guram Mirtskhulava was stopped by the police on 5 December, near his home. According to the family, four police cars were waiting for him; a search was also conducted in his residential apartment, although no items were seized as a result of the investigative actions. The Prosecutor’s Office accuses Guram Mirtskhulava of participating in group violence and throwing a heavy object at police officers. On 7 December, the court imposed pre-trial detention on him as a preventive measure. According to the defence, the main evidence of the prosecution is a 14-second video recording, which is not a continuous shot and consists of several segments. According to the lawyer’s assessment, the recording does not show that Mirtskhulava is throwing any object in the direction of the police; according to the lawyer’s assumption, the smoky object shown in the footage may be a gas capsule. According to the defence, no other evidence is presented in the case.

On 5 December, in the context of protest actions in Tbilisi, Ukrainian citizens, 27-year-old Serhii Kukharchuk and Ruslan Sivakov, were arrested; the investigation accuses them of participating in organized group violence. According to the charge, Ruslan Sivakov is accused of throwing a stone, while Serhii Kukharchuk is accused of throwing empty glass and plastic bottles. The defence denies the existence of a group element and states that the video material does not confirm intentional violence or the infliction of damage.

Jano Archaia is one of the accused persons in the so-called case of eleven persons, in which the Prosecutor’s Office accuses him of participating in group violence. According to the formulation of the charge, the case concerns events that developed during protest actions and includes episodes of violence and damage to property; however, according to the defence, the case does not reveal evidence confirming physical violence or specific damage caused by Archaia. Archaia denies the charges and states that he did not participate in organized group action.

As of 5 December, according to the Public Defender, representatives of the Ombudsperson had visited 260 detained and injured persons. Of these, 188 citizens alleged ill-treatment by the police. According to the Public Defender’s Office, visits were carried out both in temporary detention facilities and in civilian clinics in various cities of Georgia. The statement emphasizes that a significant number of detained persons speak of violence and ill-treatment.

6 December 2024

On the night of 6–7 December, the ninth night of the legitimate pro-European protest, from 00:33, the special-purpose unit began dispersing the protest action on Rustaveli Avenue and in the area surrounding Parliament. By approximately 00:40, the special-purpose unit had occupied the area in front of Parliament. Special means were used in the process, including tear gas, water cannons, and pepper spray. Cases of restrictions on the movement of protest participants were documented, including restrictions on the possibility to leave the area.

After the dispersal began, additional police forces were deployed on Republic Square. According to reports, cases of pursuit and detention were recorded against persons moving away from the protest. Throughout the night, information about 51 detained persons was received through the hotline of civil society organizations. Reports were also disseminated about the practice of checking and searching citizens at the “Freedom Square” metro station.

By 00:45, after police forces occupied other exits from the area surrounding the Opera House, protest participants moved from Rustaveli Avenue through Tarkhnishvili Street towards the embankment, where they were confronted by unknown persons armed with firearms. The faces of the attackers are clearly visible in the footage; therefore, their identification is easily possible. However, previous experience in similar cases raises doubts regarding the expectation of an effective and timely investigation.

According to the Public Defender, 19-year-old Sandro Bukia, who was detained by the police during the dispersal of the protest action on Rustaveli Avenue on 6 December, was released. According to the family, after the detention, the young man was released on the basis of a written undertaking. According to his mother, Sandro Bukia has epilepsy, about which she informed law enforcement officers on site during the detention.

According to family members, after his release the young man had injuries in various areas of the body. A detailed explanation from official agencies regarding the incident is not known at this time.

Luka Jabua was arrested on 6 December on charges of group violence in connection with the protest actions and faces 4 to 6 years’ imprisonment. According to the defence, before the court proceedings Luka did not know the persons together with whom he is accused of group action, and the case does not contain a specific description of any violent act on his part. According to the lawyer, only video recordings and investigative protocols are presented as evidence, in which no unlawful action is evident.

The Prosecutor’s Office charged Giorgi Terashvili with organizing and leading group violence, participating in group violence, and preparing an explosion. According to the agency, the charge is linked to the events that developed during the ongoing protests on Rustaveli Avenue, where the investigation points to the organization of violence and damage to property. The case has been initiated under Articles 225 and 18, 229 of the Criminal Code, which provide for imprisonment of up to 9 years. In the group violence case, together with Giorgi Terashvili, there are ten other persons: Andro Chichinadze, Onise Tskhadadze, Guram Mirtskhulava, Luka Jabua, Jano Archaia, Ruslan Sivakov, Rezo Kiknadze, Valeri Tetrashvili, Serhii Kukharchuk, and Irakli Kerashvili.

Rezo Kiknadze is accused in a criminal case of participating in group violence under Article 225 of the Criminal Code, for which he is in pre-trial detention and faces 4 to 6 years’ imprisonment. Kiknadze denies the charge. According to the defence, there are significant inconsistencies in the case, including regarding the place of arrest: official materials indicate Lisi Lake, while witnesses confirm the arrest near “University” metro station. According to the lawyer, important video evidence was not retrieved in a timely manner, as a result of which the recordings were destroyed. In the group violence case, together with Rezo Kiknadze, there are ten other persons: Andro Chichinadze, Onise Tskhadadze, Guram Mirtskhulava, Luka Jabua, Jano Archaia, Ruslan Sivakov, Giorgi Terashvili, Valeri Tetrashvili, Serhii Kukharchuk, and Irakli Kerashvili. In a letter disseminated from the detention facility, Revaz Kiknadze stated that he had started a hunger strike. According to him, during questioning, he was asked to name persons who allegedly “financed” him, including Zurab Japaridze, Elene Khoshtaria, and Nika Gvaramia. Kiknadze writes that such information does not correspond to the truth and that he refused to give false testimony. In the letter disseminated by his lawyer, Kiknadze assesses his arrest as unlawful and points to psychological pressure. According to him, it was for this reason that he made the decision to start a hunger strike.

Irakli Kerashvili is a member of the group of eleven persons arrested on charges of group violence during the protest actions. He also faces 4 to 6 years’ imprisonment. The case materials state that Irakli Kerashvili is charged with participating in group violence, “which was accompanied by violence, disorder, damage and destruction of another person’s property, the use of weapons, resistance to and assault on a representative of the authorities through the use of weapons.” The case is based mainly on reports of police officers. Irakli’s lawyer, Revaz Vacharadze, says that the case contains no evidence of any of the above-listed acts that would show that Irakli Kerashvili damaged anything or anyone, or that Irakli Kerashvili was connected to other arrested persons.

Tbilisi City Court imposed pre-trial detention as a preventive measure on eight accused persons in a case related to the protest actions. The decision was made by Judge Irakli Khuskivadze, while the state prosecution was represented by Vazha Todua and Shmagi Gobejishvili. Pre-trial detention was imposed on Vepkhia Kasradze, Vasil Kadzelashvili, Giorgi Gorgadze, Irakli Miminoshvili, Isak Aliev, Tornike Goshadze, Zviad Tsetskhladze, and Nikoloz Javakhishvili. The Prosecutor’s Office accuses them of acts provided for under Articles 225 and 18, 229 of the Criminal Code — organizing and participating in group violence, as well as preparing an explosion — which provide for imprisonment of up to 9 years.

Of the five members of the youth wing of the UNM, three were sentenced to administrative detention, and one was fined GEL 3,000. Specifically, Irakli Ardia was sentenced to 7 days’ detention, Vakho Gagnidze to 14 days’ detention, Saba Birkaia to 7 days’ detention, while Mishiko Janikashvili was fined GEL 3,000. The five members of the youth wing of the UNM were detained by the police on 4 December, when the police arrived to search the office.

7 December 2024

Tsotne Koberidze, a member of “Girchi – More Freedom” and a political activist, was detained during the dispersal of the protest action on Rustaveli Avenue, although he was released shortly afterwards. According to him, after the detention, law enforcement officers physically assaulted him, beat him, and took his phone. Koberidze also indicates incidents of swearing and degrading treatment.

Beatrice Gazdeliani was detained at the protest on 7 December. According to Beatrice Gazdeliani, she was subjected to degrading and insulting treatment at the police station. According to her, law enforcement officers were recording video, and masked officers addressed her with comments impairing her personal dignity. Gazdeliani explained that these actions were perceived as psychological pressure and an attempted blackmail.

Actor Giorgi Makharadze was reportedly physically assaulted by masked individuals during protest-related events. According to Makharadze, police officers were present and observed the violence but did not intervene. In a video circulated publicly, Makharadze addressed a police officer, stating that the officer had watched while around 30 persons beat him with batons, and called on the police to protect demonstrators. This incident was cited as one of the examples raising concerns regarding the lack of police response to violence by informal groups.

Giorgi Bregvadze was detained on 7 December, at midnight, in the vicinity of Parliament. According to him, special-purpose officers physically assaulted him and took his mobile phone during the search. According to him, after the phone was taken, the device was not returned. Bregvadze notes that the seized iPhone 15 Pro Max had been purchased by him in installments and that he still has to continue paying for it. Before being transferred to the detention facility, at the police station, he was informed that the agency was responsible only for those items that are officially recorded as belonging to the detained person at the moment of admission.

Former Deputy Minister of Economy Nikoloz Alavidze and his son, Vako Alavidze, were detained during the protest action. According to reports, the detention took place in the vicinity of Parliament.

Saba Tsimintia was detained near Tbilisi City Court. According to eyewitnesses, he was taken by the police from the area surrounding the court when he was attending Luka Jabua’s hearing together with friends. According to reports, the moment of detention was also recorded by video cameras located on site.

Nineteen-year-old Sandro Bukia, who has epilepsy, was detained on the night of 7 December. He was released shortly after the detention on the basis of a written undertaking; however, according to the family, he had multiple injuries to the head, face, and body. According to relatives, despite the fact that his mother warned law enforcement officers about his health condition, this circumstance was not taken into account. According to Bukia’s uncle, the young man became a victim of physical violence and his condition raises particular concern.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the situation at the protest action of 7 December became violent, because of which the agency used special means provided for by law. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, 48 persons were detained under Articles 166 and 173 of the Code of Administrative Offences, on allegations of disobedience to a lawful order of a police officer and petty hooliganism.

Valeri Tetrashvili is detained in the so-called case of the eleven persons on charges of participating in group violence, which provides for imprisonment from 4 to 6 years. He does not plead guilty and exercises the right to remain silent at court hearings. According to the defence, the case contains one video recording in which Tetrashvili picks up already-used pyrotechnics lying on the ground and throws it; however, according to the lawyer, the footage does not confirm violence, harm, or damage to property. The lawyer indicates that Tetrashvili was present at the protest only once and did not know the other accused persons before the court proceedings.

Tedo Abramovi was arrested on 7 December 2024. According to the investigation’s version, 4.4 grams of MDMA were seized from him during the search, because of which he was charged under Article 260 of the Criminal Code, which provides for imprisonment from 8 to 20 years or life imprisonment. Abramovi does not plead guilty. The defence states that there is no video evidence or neutral witness in the case and points to procedural violations. According to the lawyer, the items that he had with him at the time of arrest are not listed among the seized items, while the drug test did not confirm the presence of narcotic substances in Tedo’s body. According to the defence’s assessment, the case is based mainly on the statements of police officers.

On 8 December, Tbilisi City Court Judge Davit Mgeliashvili imposed two months of pre-trial detention as a preventive measure on 18-year-old Saba Jikia, who had been detained at the ongoing protest in Tbilisi. Jikia was arrested on 5 December on charges of assaulting a police officer. According to the investigation’s version, he kicked a law enforcement officer, which provides for imprisonment of up to 7 years. The defence indicates that the use of a knife does not appear in the charging decision, despite the fact that the Prosecutor’s Office emphasized this circumstance at the hearing, while the “shiny object” visible in the video has not been identified.

On the same day, the court also imposed two months of pre-trial detention on Anzor Kvaratskhelia. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, he is charged with throwing a so-called Molotov cocktail towards law enforcement officers during the protest. According to the lawyer, the arrest protocol was drawn up only after Kvaratskhelia had been taken from his home, which, in the defence’s assessment, calls into question the lawfulness of the arrest; the court did not grant the request for alternative bail.

Judge Tamar Mchedlishvili imposed pre-trial detention as a preventive measure on Jano Archaia, Onise Tskhadadze, Ukrainian citizen Ruslan Sivakov, Guram Mirtskhulava, Luka Jabua, and Andro Chichinadze. The accused were charged under Article 225 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which concerns organizing, leading, or participating in group violence. This article provides for imprisonment from 4 to 9 years.

8 December 2024

The cases of persons detained at the protest action were examined at Tbilisi City Court. “Bookshelf” participants Nika Beridze and Tengo Svanidze were released from the courtroom with verbal warnings. The judge imposed a GEL 2,300 fine on Sandro Metreveli.

Nika Beridze, a “Bookshelf” participant detained under administrative-offence proceedings, was released on the basis of a verbal warning at the hearing held at Tbilisi City Court. According to him, before the detention, he was on the sidewalk and had not received any warning from law enforcement officers. Tengo Svanidze, who had been detained under administrative-offence proceedings, was released on the basis of a verbal warning at the hearing held at Tbilisi City Court. According to him, before the detention, he was on the sidewalk and had not received any warning from law enforcement officers.

The court imposed a GEL 2,300 fine on Sandro Metreveli, who had been detained under administrative-offence proceedings. According to the lawyer, physical violence was used against him during the detention and he had injuries. According to the defence, in the case Sandro Metreveli was accused of resistance to a police officer and petty hooliganism. According to Sandro Metreveli’s lawyer, Nino Lominadze, physical violence was used against her client during the detention, as a result of which he had injuries on his body. According to the lawyer, information regarding this fact has already been provided to the investigative body.

According to relatives, Lasha Gogebashvili was detained at night after his vehicle was blocked. It later became known that he had been transferred to the Dighomi detention facility. Family members assume that the detention may be related to the episode of hanging a flag on the New Year tree near Parliament.

Giorgi Akhobadze, an active participant in the protest, was arrested on 8 December, in the early morning hours, on Tamar Mepe Avenue in Tbilisi. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, he had unlawfully purchased and stored more than 3 grams of the narcotic substance “Alpha-PVP,” which Akhobadze himself denies and states that the substance was planted by police officers. According to the defence, the search was conducted without the relevant procedural documentation and video recording, while only police officers’ testimonies are presented as evidence in the case. According to the lawyer, the court did not grant the motion to obtain video recordings. Akhobadze links the charge to political motivation and points to his active participation in protest actions.

Nika Katsia, an active participant in the protest, was arrested on 8 December. According to the lawyer, he was stopped near his home, taken to another area, and searched; however, initially, no prohibited substance was found. Katsia himself states that the narcotic substance was planted by police officers and indicates ill-treatment during the arrest. The charge against him concerns possession of a large amount of narcotic substances, which, if proven, provides for imprisonment from 8 to 20 years or life imprisonment. The court imposed pre-trial detention as a preventive measure, despite the defence’s motion for bail. According to Katsia’s friends, he was going from home to Rustaveli Avenue, to the pro-Western protest.

The court imposed pre-trial detention as a preventive measure on Revaz Kiknadze, who had been arrested within the framework of the protests. Kiknadze has been charged under Article 225 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which concerns organizing, leading, or participating in group violence and provides for imprisonment from 4 to 9 years. In a letter disseminated on 6 December, Kiknadze stated that pressure was being exerted on him and that he was being asked to give false testimony; in response, he declared a hunger strike.

According to information disseminated by the media, several civil and political activists were summoned to the criminal police for questioning as witnesses. Among those summoned for questioning were activists Makuna Gochiashvili, Ana Subeliani, and Mariam Kvaratskhelia, as well as Rondeli Foundation researcher Vato Bzhalava. According to their public explanations, the summons is connected to an ongoing investigation under Articles 225 and 239¹ of the Criminal Code of Georgia.

According to additional reports, Ani Kavtaradze, a member of “Coalition for Change” and political activist, and civil activists Albi Kordzaia and Giorgi Romelashvili were summoned for questioning on the same grounds. According to public statements, the summoned persons did not plan to appear at the police and expressed readiness to give testimony before a magistrate judge.

In addition, TikToker Tako Lochoshvili stated that she had been summoned for questioning to the criminal police after excerpts cut from her live broadcast were disseminated on social media, in the “Anti-Maidan” group. According to her, an “Imedi” journalist also disseminated those excerpts. Later, according to Lochoshvili, she was informed by the police that she had been summoned for questioning in connection with her posts.

9 December 2024

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, five persons were arrested in Batumi on charges of group violence, on the basis of a judge’s ruling. Among those arrested are Mamuka Jorbenadze, professor and dean at Batumi Art Teaching University, as well as students Guram Mikeladze, Davit Gvianidze, Giorgi Davitadze, and Andro Kakabadze.

According to the agency, the case concerns the protest action held on 3 December, during which, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ version, a verbal and physical confrontation took place inside the university building. The investigation is ongoing under Article 126¹, paragraph 1, of the Criminal Code, which provides for imprisonment of up to 2 years.

Twenty-three-year-old Daniel Mumladze was arrested on 9 December. He is charged with damaging 112 surveillance cameras, which provides for imprisonment from 3 to 6 years. The accused remains in pre-trial detention, despite his confession, remorse, and readiness to compensate the damage. According to the defence, under these circumstances, the use of detention has a punitive character. According to the case file, the accused states that damaging the cameras had not been his aim.

According to Irakli Chomakhashvili, lawyer of Saba Skhvitaridze, a member of “Coalition for Change” and political activist, Skhvitaridze is being held in Rustavi Penitentiary Establishment No. 6 under strict-regime conditions, while the cell is unsanitary. According to the lawyer, compared with other persons arrested in the same cases, the transfer of only Skhvitaridze to strict-regime conditions without any justification raises additional questions regarding the aims and proportionality of the decision. According to Chomakhashvili, after the arrest, physical violence was used against Skhvitaridze in the police building, as a result of which he has injuries. The lawyer explains that his account refers to beatings by masked persons.

10 December 2024

Judge Tamar Mchedlishvili imposed 2 months of pre-trial detention as a preventive measure on former journalist Nika Katsia. Nika Katsia was charged under Article 260, paragraph 6(a), of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which concerns the purchase and possession of a particularly large quantity of narcotic substances. If convicted under this article, the penalty provides for imprisonment from 8 to 20 years or life imprisonment.

According to lawyer Nino Lominadze, law enforcement officers arrested Katsia near his home, transferred him to another location, and searched him; however, according to her, no prohibited substance was seized as a result of the search. According to relatives, at the time of his arrest, Nika Katsia was on his way to the ongoing protest on Rustaveli Avenue.

Doctor Giorgi Akhobadze was placed in pre-trial detention for 2 months as a preventive measure by Tbilisi City Court Judge Lela Maridashvili. He was charged under Article 260, paragraph 6, of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which concerns the unlawful purchase and possession of a particularly large quantity of narcotic substances. If convicted under this article, the penalty provides for imprisonment from 8 to 20 years or life imprisonment. According to the defence, Giorgi Akhobadze does not plead guilty and alleges that police officers planted the narcotic substance on him during the arrest. According to the lawyers, no video evidence is presented in the case, despite the fact that, under the applicable standard, video recording of the search process is mandatory. Giorgi Akhobadze was arrested on the night of 7–8 December, while returning home from the protest action held on Rustaveli Avenue.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, in the context of protest actions, V.T., born in 1997, was arrested and is accused of participating in group violence. According to the agency, the accused did not comply with law enforcement officers and threw various objects. The investigation is ongoing under Article 225, paragraph 2, of the Criminal Code, which provides for imprisonment of up to 6 years.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the investigation into the events ongoing on Rustaveli Avenue continues under several articles. Approximately 40 persons have been arrested under the Criminal Code.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, on 10 December, on the 13th night of the protest, 6 persons were detained under administrative-offence proceedings, as the agency confirmed to “Publika.” According to available data, in connection with the ongoing protest actions from 28 November to 10 December, approximately 40 persons have been arrested under the Criminal Code, while more than 400 persons have been detained under administrative-offence proceedings

Civil Activist Tamuna Giorgadze Subjected to Physical Violence during a Protest Rally

On 6 June, during the protest rally known as the “Saturday March,” civil activist Tamuna Giorgadze was subjected to physical violence by an unidentified person. The alleged assailant was riding a scooter of the courier company “Glovo.” Police officers escorted him away from the area.

In an interview with Batumelebi, Tamuna Giorgadze stated that, before the march began, the same person passed by the protest participants on a scooter and verbally insulted them.

“We were standing near the Philharmonic Hall, waiting for the march to begin. Five of us were standing on the traffic island between the sidewalk and the road. A Glovo courier passed by and insulted us, using offensive language. Levan Zazadze [a photographer] was standing next to me and responded to him. The man then moved to attack, and I tried to stand between them. He first hit Levan in the face, and because I was standing between them, I was hit in the jaw and abdomen as he was swinging his arms,” Giorgadze said.

As a result of the incident, the activist sustained bodily injuries to her face, hand, and abdomen. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, an investigation has been initiated under Article 126 of the Criminal Code, which concerns violence.

Incidents Documented Against Civil Activists – November 2024

Context

The cases documented in November 2024 demonstrate the intensive and multifaceted nature of rights violations directed against civil activists, particularly in the period following the 31 October 2024 parliamentary elections. The documented incidents primarily relate to peaceful assemblies and protest actions and include the use by the State of various legal and administrative measures, including restrictions on the freedoms of assembly and expression, administrative and criminal arrests, financial sanctions, physical violence, and other forms of indirect pressure against activists.

The data presented are based solely on cases reflected in publicly available sources. Accordingly, the actual number of rights violations may exceed the documented figures.

In the cases documented in November 2024, at least 46 episodes of rights violations were recorded, affecting at least 281 persons.

Dispersal / restriction of the freedoms of assembly and expression: In November 2024, at least 9 episodes involving restrictions on the freedoms of assembly and expression were documented, including the violent dispersal of assemblies, restrictions on movement, and the use of special means, particularly during the events of 28–29 November, when 33 persons were injured and transferred to medical facilities.

Arrests: In November 2024, 3 cases of arrest in criminal proceedings were documented, involving 3 persons, while 9 episodes of arrests in administrative-offence proceedings were documented, within which a total of 175 persons were administratively arrested, including 107 persons in one episode.

Administrative proceedings / financial sanctions: In November 2024, financial sanctions were used against civil activists and organizations in at least 9 cases. According to the monitoring data, the sanctions were linked to peaceful protest marches and forms of public expression. Based on publicly available information and information disseminated by the media, the total amount of fines imposed was not less than GEL 13,700.

Physical violence / ill-treatment: In November 2024, at least 11 episodes were documented, within which at least 57 persons reported physical violence, ill-treatment, or severe physical abuse. Among them, in the episode of 19 November, representatives of the Public Defender visited 16 detainees, of whom 10 alleged ill-treatment; in the 28–29 November episode, out of 11 persons visited, alleged ill-treatment was identified in 9 cases, 6 persons had visible injuries, and 2 persons had been transferred to a clinic; in the 29–30 November episode, 38 persons reported severe physical abuse.

Confiscation of property / personal belongings: At least 1 episode was documented, within which some detainees alleged the confiscation of personal belongings, including mobile phones and other items.

Indirect pressure / “chilling effect”: In November 2024, at least 4 episodes were documented, including the summoning of an activist and a representative of an observation mission for questioning, and the practice of systematically summoning members of an observation coalition.

5 November 2024 – Ozurgeti, Guria

The Municipal Inspection fined the organization “Civil Movement for Freedom” GEL 1,500 for placing a protest banner on the balcony of its office reading “The Russian Dream stole the elections.” According to the Inspection, the banner was assessed as “illegal advertising.”

According to the organization’s representative, Otar Revishvili, the banner constituted a form of political protest and did not damage the façade of the building or any other infrastructure. Nevertheless, the Supervision Service imposed the fine on the basis of Article 159 of the Code of Administrative Offences, which concerns violations of the rules on the placement of advertisements.

6 November 2024 – Tbilisi

Londa Toloraia, spokesperson of the observation coalition “My Vote,” was summoned by the Prosecutor’s Office for questioning as a witness before a magistrate judge. The questions mainly concerned the activities and assessments of the observation mission, rather than possible violations identified during the 26 October elections.

The coalition “My Vote” publicly stated that the Prosecutor’s Office was not launching a full-fledged investigation into election-related crimes and, instead, was summoning various members of the observation mission for questioning. According to the organization, these actions were aimed at obstructing the coalition’s activities and exerting pressure on its members.

10 November 2024 – Tbilisi

During a protest against the election results, which was taking place on both embankments of the Mtkvari River and in the area surrounding Baratashvili Bridge, the police called on participants to clear the carriageway. The restriction concerned the form and location of the assembly.

13 November 2024 – Tbilisi

During a protest against the election results, citizens were moving in a march from the Central Election Commission building towards the Aghmashenebeli monument. Law enforcement officers did not allow them to block the carriageway and removed women participants from the traffic lane through the use of physical force. Prior to that, protest participants had been temporarily restricted from moving around and entering the Central Election Commission building, which hindered the process of submitting applications.

16 November 2024 – Tbilisi

During a protest march held near the Central Election Commission in Tbilisi, 3 civil activists were detained in administrative-offence proceedings. According to available data, the arrests were linked to civic activism in the electoral context.

Members of the “Daitove” movement, who were moving towards the residence of the Chairperson of the Central Election Commission, had their movement restricted by the police. The situation on the ground was periodically tense.

Citizens gathered near the Central Election Commission moved in a protest march towards Aghmashenebeli Alley. During the march, a confrontation took place between the police and demonstrators, and the police attempted to remove them from the carriageway through the use of force.

Citizens gathered near the Central Election Commission held a protest march towards Aghmashenebeli Alley, protesting the results of the parliamentary elections. During the march, a physical confrontation took place between the police and protest participants; law enforcement officers attempted to remove the demonstrators from the carriageway through the use of force.

19 November 2024 – Tbilisi

In the early morning hours, law enforcement officers dispersed a peaceful protest that had been ongoing for two days on Chavchavadze Avenue and took control of the area through the use of force. From approximately 06:00 in the morning, a large number of police and special-purpose forces, including special equipment, were mobilized on site. After the dispersal of the assembly, part of the citizens moved to Melikishvili Avenue, where their arrests began.

During the arrests and the dispersal of the assembly, physical abuse took place both in the street and inside police vehicles. According to reports, two injured persons were transferred to a clinic. On the same day, the police arrested 16 persons in administrative-offence proceedings. According to lawyers, the detainees had injuries of varying severity, while some of them were later released on the basis of a written undertaking.

On 19 November, representatives of the Public Defender visited 16 detained persons: 14 in temporary detention facilities and 2 in medical facilities. Of these, 10 reported ill-treatment and excessive use of force. The Public Defender stated that the assembly taking place on Melikishvili Avenue was peaceful in nature and complied with the standards of freedom of assembly, while the use of force identified during the arrests required an immediate and effective investigation. For this purpose, the Public Defender’s Office submitted publicly disseminated materials to the Special Investigation Service. Among those arrested were Aleksandre Kavtaradze, Aleksandre Bekauri, and Rezi Dumbadze. According to their lawyer, physical force was used against them both during arrest and inside police vehicles, as a result of which they sustained injuries, including to the facial area.

According to civil activist Natia Dzidziguri, who was arrested during the dispersal of the protest near Tbilisi State University, her detention was preceded by aggressive conduct and verbal abuse by the police. According to her, after the detention, while being transported in a police vehicle, she was subjected to degrading and sexually offensive treatment. The activist explained that she was forced to remain on her knees throughout the entire journey, despite the fact that there was free space in the vehicle and despite her repeated requests to be allowed to sit down. In addition, she indicated that during transportation, law enforcement officers used degrading gestures and ironic, insulting remarks, creating an environment of psychological pressure and treatment impairing human dignity.

20 November 2024 – Tbilisi

Participants gathered near the first building of Tbilisi State University were given a temporary deadline to leave the area, after which they were forcibly moved to Melikishvili Avenue.

The court imposed a fine of GEL 2,700 on civil activist Irakli Andghuladze. The case was related to his participation in the protest held on Melikishvili Avenue on 19 November.

21 November 2024 – Tbilisi

In Tbilisi, representatives of law enforcement bodies arrested civil activist Mate Devidze in criminal proceedings. He was arrested on charges of assaulting police officers during the protest held in Tbilisi on 19 November 2024, an offence punishable by up to seven years’ imprisonment.

In Tbilisi, the court sentenced civil activist Davit Tsotsoria to 8 days of administrative detention, in connection with his arrest at the protest held on Melikishvili Avenue on 19 November.

In Tbilisi, the court sentenced civil activist Isako Devidze to 8 days of administrative detention, in connection with his arrest at the protest held on Melikishvili Avenue on 19 November.

Civil activist Niko Managadze was summoned to the Special Investigation Service within the framework of a criminal case concerning alleged interference with the journalistic activities of a journalist of TV company “Imedi.” According to Managadze himself, the case was initiated on the basis of an application by TV company “Imedi.” The activist explained that the incident was related to a critical question he asked during a live broadcast, concerning the assessment and coverage of incidents of police violence against journalists. During the same period, the Special Investigation Service stated that an investigation had been launched into cases of interference with journalistic activities during the protests of 18–19 November.

Civil activist Lizi Tirkia was summoned to the Special Investigation Service in connection with the protest action of 19 November. Initially, Tirkia wrote on social media that she was being accused of assaulting police officers; however, the Special Investigation Service denied this information and explained that Tirkia had been summoned as a witness. Later, Tirkia herself also stated that she learned the actual reason for the summons only after appearing at the agency.

25 November 2024 – Tbilisi

Anatoli Gigauri was arrested on charges of assaulting a police officer, an offence punishable by 4 to 7 years’ imprisonment. According to the official version, during a protest held on Rustaveli Avenue, in the area surrounding the Parliament, he physically confronted a patrol inspector. At the same time, during his arrest, Anatoli Gigauri indicated that physical force had been used against him and that he had injuries. According to Anatoli Gigauri, physical violence was used against him before the arrest. According to his lawyer, Gigauri had injuries in the facial area, including bruising above and below the eye socket. The victim explained that, although he intended to get into the law enforcement vehicle voluntarily, several police officers physically assaulted him before the arrest. According to the lawyer, they would apply to the Special Investigation Service requesting the launch of an investigation into the incident of violence.

27 November 2024 – Tbilisi

In the courtyard of Tbilisi City Court, citizens gathered in support of persons arrested during the protest were forcibly removed from the area by the Mandaturi Service, restricting the possibility to assemble and express views.

Tbilisi City Court issued decisions in administrative cases concerning citizens who participated in the protest march of 10 November and imposed financial sanctions in the total amount of GEL 7,500. Specifically, by court decision, GEL 500 fines were imposed on Ilia Seturi, Nino Chilashvili, Davit Tsintsabadze, Luka Beraia, and Ketevan Daudishvili, who were accused of blocking the road and violating the rules on assemblies and demonstrations. In the same context, according to media reports, the court imposed a GEL 5,000 fine on Ilia Ghlonti, one of the founders of the “Daitove” movement and co-organizer of the 10 November march.

Tbilisi City Court imposed a fine of GEL 2,000 on Vano Gomurashvili on the charge of disobeying a lawful order of the police. During the court hearing, representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs claimed that the civil activist had verbally insulted law enforcement officers at the protest held near the Central Election Commission. At the same time, no evidence confirming the allegation was presented during the hearing. Vano Gomurashvili himself assessed the decision as an attempt to exert pressure on and intimidate civic activism, and indicated that the sanction imposed against him was linked to the expression of dissenting opinion and participation in protest activity.

28 November 2024 – Kutaisi

In Kutaisi, civil activist Misha Mumladze was arrested in administrative-offence proceedings. According to the monitoring data, the arrest was carried out through the use of force and was linked to a pro-European protest held against the suspension of negotiations with the European Union. This episode also indicates signs of physical violence and ill-treatment.

At a protest held near the office of “Georgian Dream” in Kutaisi, where citizens were protesting the government’s decision to suspend negotiations with the European Union by moving across a zebra crossing, the police arrested protest participant Misha Mumladze through the use of force. During the detention, a scuffle occurred between the police and citizens, and Mumladze was forcibly taken into a police vehicle.

28–29 November 2024 – Tbilisi

During the night hours, the pro-European protest held on Rustaveli Avenue was dispersed by police forces through the use of force. Law enforcement officers used water cannons and special means, and numerous incidents of violence against protest participants, journalists, and photographers were documented.

After the dispersal of the pro-European protest, the police began pursuing the demonstrators who remained on Rustaveli Avenue, used physical force against them, and arrested dozens of people. Law enforcement officers began using physical violence against citizens gathered near the Opera House and pursued them up to the building of the Academy of Sciences. According to reports, police officers also entered a pharmacy, where they physically assaulted citizens and damaged inventory.

Throughout the night, demonstrators were pursued, violence was used, and arrests were carried out on Rustaveli Avenue. Law enforcement officers used tear gas and water cannons, including means which, according to media reports, contained tear-inducing substances. Violence affected journalists, politicians, and other citizens present at the protest. The protest on Rustaveli Avenue began after the ruling party announced on 28 November the suspension of negotiations on accession to the European Union.

The Public Defender assessed the developments at the protests of 28–29 November as particularly alarming. According to the Public Defender, cases of inhuman and degrading treatment of peaceful demonstrators, journalists, and detained persons were identified. On the night of 29 November, representatives of the Public Defender visited 11 persons; in 9 cases, alleged ill-treatment was identified, including against 3 journalists. Six persons had visible physical injuries, while two injured persons had been transferred to a clinic with multiple injuries.

Poet Zviad Ratiani was detained on the night of 28–29 November. During the arrest, law enforcement officers dragged him by force on Chichinadze Street and physically assaulted him. Later disseminated video footage shows him being led through a corridor of special-purpose officers while being continuously beaten. The injured person was diagnosed with serious injuries: a fractured fifth vertebra, a broken nasal bone and septum, as well as multiple haematomas and bruises on his body. According to Zviad Ratiani, he was peacefully present at the protest and was only trying to defuse the tension with a hand gesture when the police forcibly removed him and continued physical violence both in the street and inside the police vehicle.

On the night of 29 November, as a result of the violent dispersal of the pro-European protest in Tbilisi, 43 civil activists were detained in administrative-offence proceedings.

29–30 November 2024 – Tbilisi

In Tbilisi, during the violent dispersal of the protests of 29–30 November, 107 civil activists were detained in administrative-offence proceedings, representing the largest episode of administrative arrests during the month.

According to lawyers and the Public Defender, a significant number of those arrested as a result of the protests of 29–30 November had traces of physical violence. According to lawyer Lasha Tkesheladze, there were queues of detainees in detention facilities, and the detainees had been beaten and had various injuries, including bruising and signs of head trauma. One detainee, Avtandil Tvitinidze, required emergency medical assistance due to symptoms of concussion.

Representatives of the Public Defender visited detainees, of whom 38 reported severe physical abuse. According to the Public Defender, injuries were mainly inflicted in the facial area. The Ombudsperson noted that violence was used particularly during the moment of arrest and during the transfer of detainees in police vehicles. It is noteworthy that a significant number of detainees indicated that their personal belongings — mobile phones, a laptop, a wallet containing cash, and other items — had been confiscated, and their subsequent whereabouts remain unknown to them.

30 November 2024 – Tbilisi and Batumi

The Ministry of Internal Affairs continued to attempt to suppress legitimate protest through violence in Tbilisi and Batumi. On Rustaveli Avenue, the police dispersed a peaceful assembly by violent methods, including through the use of water cannons and gas. Law enforcement officers used violence against peaceful citizens, pursued them, arrested them without grounds, and physically assaulted them, while also using special means in violation of the rules governing their use.

In Batumi, in the context of a pro-European protest, 3 civil activists were detained in administrative-offence proceedings. In Tbilisi, during the violent dispersal of the protests of 29–30 November, 107 civil activists were arrested in administrative-offence proceedings, representing the largest episode of administrative arrests during the month.

In Tbilisi, another civil activist, Archil Museliani, was arrested in criminal proceedings. He is accused of damaging video cameras installed near the Parliament, specifically by setting them on fire. Museliani does not plead guilty and indicates alleged pressure and violence against him in the detention facility.

Avtandil Tvitinidze was arrested in the early morning hours in the area surrounding the Parliament. After the arrest, he was transferred to a temporary detention facility and later to a clinic. According to Tvitinidze, during the arrest he was not allowed to contact a doctor or a lawyer, despite his repeated requests. According to Avtandil Tvitinidze, during the arrest, physical force was used against him by representatives of the special-purpose unit. He stated that one of the special-purpose officers struck him hard in the nose, causing heavy bleeding. Subsequently, according to the detainee, he was struck several more times, while during transfer to the detention facility he was threatened with violence and the use of handcuffs. Tvitinidze also indicated degrading treatment, psychological pressure, and delayed provision of medical assistance, as a result of which it ultimately became necessary to transfer him to a clinic.

During the violent dispersal of the ongoing protest on Rustaveli Avenue, the police detained Giorgi Maisashvili. His detention was preceded by the use of physical force against him – Giorgi had bruising around the eye area. Later, he was sentenced to 6 days of administrative detention.

During the dispersal of the pro-European protest on Rustaveli Avenue, the police severely beat 23-year-old Zviad Maisashvili. According to him, police officers threw him to the ground, after which several law enforcement officers struck him simultaneously. As a result of the beating, Zviad Maisashvili lost consciousness. Zviad was later brought back to consciousness in an ambulance. He was diagnosed with a concussion, a fractured nasal septum, a broken back tooth, and bruising of the lips. On the same night, the police also physically assaulted his brother, 24-year-old Giorgi Maisashvili, who was arrested and sentenced to 6 days of administrative detention.

According to lawyer Tato Kelbakiani, after the pro-European protest, his 17-year-old son, Demetre Kelbakiani, was detained by law enforcement officers through the use of force. According to Kelbakiani, the minor was thrown to the ground and 7–8 people used violence against him at the same time, despite the fact that he repeatedly indicated his age. Demetre was later released and transferred to a clinic to have his injuries examined.