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Incident type: Public Discrediting or Stigmatization of Activists

Several Individuals Attacked Comedian Onise Okriashvili near His Home Following a Discrediting Campaign

On 22 July, civil activist and comedian Onise Okriashvili was attacked near his home by several individuals. Publicly circulated video footage shows several individuals physically assaulting Okriashvili near his home. Following the attack, Okriashvili was taken to a medical clinic.

According to Okriashvili’s wife, Mariam Samushia, he was undergoing medical examinations to determine whether he had sustained injuries. “I heard shouting near the house, called Onise, and it turned out that he had been attacked. Onise is now undergoing examinations to determine whether he has any injuries. Today we were discussing filing a complaint over the defamation disseminated by propaganda media, and today Onise was beaten. This is artificially incited hatred,” Samushia said.

The attack was preceded by a discrediting campaign against Okriashvili by pro-government media outlets. For several days, pro-government channels criticized him over a reference to Nodar Dumbadze in an episode of the comedy YouTube show Punchline Therapy. According to Okriashvili, the disputed phrase was not an insult directed at the writer, but a comedic comparison made in a hypothetical context. Okriashvili is a comedian who has recently been actively involved in the protest movement, including solidarity actions against restrictions on freedom of expression and unlawful detentions.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, one person was arrested on charges of violence against Onise Okriashvili. The Ministry stated that the alleged attacker appeared voluntarily at the Vake-Saburtalo Police Division.

Despite the attack, the discrediting campaign against Okriashvili has not stopped. Pro-government media outlets continue to circulate videos and excerpts from his stand-up performances and podcasts, presenting them out of context. At the same time, the same outlets are disseminating materials supportive of the person accused of the attack, portraying him not as a person charged with violence, but as someone who allegedly defended “Georgian dignity,” Orthodox Christianity, traditions, and the name of Nodar Dumbadze. These narratives are being circulated in a coordinated manner on the platforms of both TV Imedi and Rustavi 2.

Against this backdrop, the Prosecutor’s Office requested GEL 5,000 bail as a preventive measure against the accused. Georgian Dream MP Dimitri Samkharadze also commented on the matter, stating that he was ready to use his parliamentary mandate and, if Niko Khurtsilava wished, act as his surety to support his release on bail

Pro-Government Channels Launch Campaign against Comedian Onise Okriashvili and YouTube Project “Punchline Therapy”

A discrediting campaign has been launched in pro-government media outlets against comedian and activist Onise Okriashvili, as well as the YouTube project “Punchline Therapy.” The campaign followed one episode of the show, in which Okriashvili is one of the co-hosts, together with Anastasia Bendukidze and Irakli Jabua.

Initially, TV channel Imedi referred to Onise Okriashvili as an “opposition activist” and stated that, in the podcast, he had used hate speech directed at writer Nodar Dumbadze. Later, Rustavi 2 also prepared a story with similar content, portraying “Punchline Therapy” as a podcast built on insulting, mocking, and dignity-degrading rhetoric.

Rustavi 2’s story claimed that the targets of the hosts’ degrading jokes included clergy members, street vendors, elderly people, and Nodar Dumbadze. The story also included comments from the ruling party, alleging that podcasts of this kind serve to normalize hate speech, increase polarization, and establish “anti-Georgian rules,” which, according to them, are also financially supported by “external actors.”

Onise Okriashvili published a video statement on social media in response to the controversy surrounding him. According to his explanation, no insult was made against Nodar Dumbadze in the podcast. Okriashvili stated that the conversation took place in a hypothetical context and that the phrase was intended to illustrate the absurdity of hatred toward the writer.

Okriashvili is a comedian who has recently been actively involved  in the protest movement. He participates in various solidarity actions, including protests against restrictions on freedom of expression and unlawful detentions. According to his supporters, the campaign launched against him is another example of attempts to discredit people who are active in the protest movement and hold critical views. Supporters also state that pro-government channels presented the podcast phrase out of context and attempted to use it to stir up public aggression. In their assessment, the campaign aims to discredit not only Onise Okriashvili, but also people who publicly express critical positions toward the authorities.