SLAPP lawsuit

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

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

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

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

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

A defamation case against the television company TV Pirveli and a journalist

On December 9, 2025, the Tbilisi Court of Appeal upheld the decision of the Tbilisi City Court in the defamation case brought by former Minister of Internal Affairs of “Georgian Dream,” Aleksandre Chikaidze, against the television company TV Pirveli and journalist Sopho Niauri. The dispute concerns a report aired on TV Pirveli in the program “Nodar Meladze’s Saturday,” in which Chikaidze was accused of having links to so-called call centers. The Court of Appeal ordered the television company and the journalist to issue a retraction of the information disseminated about Aleksandre Chikaidze and to pay moral damages in the amount of 10,000 lari.

It is particularly problematic that in such a dispute the journalist was considered a proper defendant, which contradicts the Law “On Freedom of Speech and Expression,” according to which, in defamation cases related to content published by a journalist in the media, the defendant is the media owner. Such an approach is the result of incorrect judicial practice that has taken root in recent years and creates a precedent harmful to media freedom.

This judicial practice is developing against the backdrop of amendments to the Law on Freedom of Speech and Expression, which “Georgian Dream” adopted under an expedited procedure on June 26. The amendments shifted the burden of proof to the defendant, abolished important mechanisms for the protection of journalists, including guarantees for source protection and the so-called qualified privilege, and increased the risks of legal pressure against the media and critical voices.

This is not the first instance of legal proceedings initiated against critical media on the grounds of defamation. According to the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, in recent years 28 lawsuits have been filed against three leading critical television channels—Mtavari Arkhi, Formula, and TV Pirveli—most of which were initiated by representatives of the ruling party and individuals close to them. In the organization’s assessment, such cases bear the hallmarks of SLAPP litigation and point to a coordinated trend aimed at intimidating critical media.

“Cartu Bank” is suing “TV Pirveli” in court

“Cartu Bank,” 35% of which is owned by oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili’s son, Uta Ivanishvili, is suing “TV Pirveli” for defamation. The plaintiff demands that the channel not refer to the bank as “Ivanishvili’s” or “the oligarch’s” bank.

According to Nodari Meladze, head of TV Pirveli’s news department, the report that prompted the lawsuit was aired in a news broadcast and was based on a resolution of the European People’s Party (EPP), which called for Cartu Bank to be disconnected from the international payment system SWIFT.

“They are demanding that this report not be posted on online platforms. Apparently, this issue is problematic for the bank, and they are seeking a court ban on media use of terms like ‘Ivanishvili’s bank’ or ‘oligarch’s bank,’” Meladze told Netgazeti. He also noted that Cartu Bank is seeking only a denial of the facts presented in the report, not monetary compensation.

According to the Media Advocacy Coalition, this lawsuit represents another case of Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP): “This case is another clear example of the targeted repressive policy toward the media conducted by Bidzina Ivanishvili’s ‘Georgian Dream,’” the organization said in a statement.

According to the Communications Commission, TV Pirveli, Mtavari Arkhi, and Formula have violated the law

On July 3, 2025, the Communications Commission found TV companies “TV Pirveli”, “Mtavari Arkhi” and “Formula” to be violators of the law. The case concerns a complaint by “Georgian Dream” against the television stations. The party appealed to the commission on June 1 and complained about terms such as: “illegitimate parliament”, “oligarch’s regime”, “regime prisoners”, “illegitimate government”, “clan’s court” and others. The complaints submitted by “Georgian Dream” are based on amendments to Georgia’s Law on Broadcasting. These amendments were approved by parliament on April 1, as a result of which the Communications Commission’s powers were expanded.

The Media Advocacy Coalition called on the Communications Commission to be independent and a defender of free speech.

“The Commission should take into account that the public interest in critical assessment of political forces is higher. The media should have the right to give appropriate characterization and assessment to the processes taking place in the country. This is the essence of journalism” – the statement reads.

Mzia Amaglobeili, Founder of “Netgazeti” and “Batumelebi,” Fined for the Second Time for Posting a Sticker

On June 18, 2025, Marina Fomaeva, a judge at Batumi City Court, found Mzia Amaglobeili—founder of the outlets Batumelebi and Netgazeti—guilty of an administrative offense and fined her 1,000 GEL for posting a protest sticker.
The sticker in question read “Georgia Is Sworn In” and was placed by Amaglobeili on the wall of a police auxiliary building on January 11. Police officers removed the sticker immediately after it was posted.

Amaglobeili had already been fined once for the same sticker. On March 18, 2025, Judge Salikh Shainidze fined her 2,000 GEL for disobeying a lawful police order. Shortly after that, the Ministry of Internal Affairs opened a new administrative case against her for the same incident—this time for “defacing the appearance of a building.” The verdict in that case was delivered on June 18.

Mzia Amaglobeili was arrested twice during the night of January 11–12, 2025. She was first detained for posting the protest sticker but released a few hours later after signing a written statement. However, she was re-arrested shortly after on criminal charges for allegedly slapping Batumi Police Chief Irakli Dgebuadze.

She remains in pretrial detention. Both local and international organizations consider her a political prisoner. Numerous procedural violations have been documented during her court proceedings.

Communications Commission to Review Georgian Dream’s Complaints Against TV Pirveli, Formula, and Mtavari Arkhi

On June 5, 2025, the Communications Commission accepted for consideration the complaints filed by “Georgian Dream” against TV Pirveli, Formula, and Mtavari Arkhi, and will review them substantively on June 19.

On June 2, TV channels Formula and TV Pirveli released a statement revealing that “Georgian Dream” had filed complaints against them with the National Communications Commission.

According to Formula, a representative of “Georgian Dream” is accusing the channel of violating provisions of the broadcasting law that the ruling party adopted on April 1. The party submitted the complaint to the Commission on June 1 — the day the Commission was granted the authority to sanction broadcasters.

“The complaint seeks to censor terms that emphasize the illegitimacy and political bias of Georgian Dream’s parliament, officials, or institutions,” Formula’s statement says.

“Georgian Dream” is suing Formula over the use of phrases such as: “prisoners of the regime,” “regime’s court,” “illegitimate parliament,” “so-called parliament,” and others.

According to TV Pirveli, a 14-page complaint has been filed against them at the National Communications Commission, listing words and terms used by the media in various news segments.

The amendments to the “Broadcasting Law” were passed by “Georgian Dream” on April 1, 2025. Under the new rules, the regulatory body—the National Communications Commission—was granted significantly expanded powers, and all foreign funding of broadcasters was fully banned.

The Media Advocacy Coalition responded to the situation with a statement: “The repressive legislation recently initiated and adopted by Georgian Dream deliberately restricts freedom of expression and the public’s access to alternative opinions and information,” the statement reads.