Keti Tutberidze, a journalist for Formula TV’s investigative program “Saturday Formula”, was verbally abused by an unidentified individual.
The incident occurred in the city of Gori, where the journalist was preparing an investigative report on the beating of a citizen by police officers. The broadcast footage reveals that, near the residence of one of the police officers accused of the assault, an unknown individual in a vehicle with tinted windows confronted the journalist. The person defended the police officer while swearing at and verbally assaulting the journalist.
On the evening of June 6, photographer Levan Zazadze, who was covering the “Saturday March,” was attacked by an unidentified individual near the Philharmonic.
The assailant first subjected him to verbal abuse before physically striking him, causing injuries to his face. The attacker was carrying a “Glovo” delivery bag and traveling on a scooter. He was eventually escorted from the scene by the police; however, eyewitnesses reported that the law enforcement’s response was delayed.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) has launched an investigation into the incident under Article 126 of the Criminal Code, which pertains to violence. Despite this, it remains unknown whether the attacker has been formally arrested. Shortly after the incident, photos circulated in the media showing the assailant standing with police officers without handcuffs.The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics has called on the MIA to punish these attacker in accordance with the law and to make a concerted effort to ensure a safe working environment for media professionals.
“The police’s indifferent attitude toward such crimes encourages violence aggressive individuals perceive journalists as easy targets,” the Charter noted in its statement.
According to Achara Times, Sulkhan Meskhidze, the founder and journalist of the online publication, became the target of aggression while covering the election for the head of the Adjara branch of the Union of the Blind.
The publication reports that the incident occurred in the courtyard during the coverage of the election process. While he was performing his journalistic duties, an attempt was made to snatch and smash Meskhidze’s phone. According to the outlet, police officers present at the scene witnessed the aggression and the attempt to confiscate the journalist’s phone, but they failed to react.
Achara Times stated that they were unable to capture complete video footage of the incident, as the recording stopped during the struggle to prevent the mobile phone from being damaged. The publication further noted that representatives of the Union of the Blind also refused to allow journalists to enter the voting area to film the proceedings.
On May 7, in Khelvachauri, Sulkhan Meskhidze, the founder of Adjara Times, and Lela Dumbadze, a journalist for Batumelebi, were obstructed from performing their professional duties, allegedly by public officials. The individuals verbally abused the journalists. According to the journalists, there were also threats and attempts at physical retaliation.
The journalists were covering a meeting between the parents of prisoners of conscience and local residents.
According to Batumelebi, among the aggressive individuals was Jumber (Genadi) Diasamidze, the deputy director of the Khelvachauri Municipality Sanitation and Utility Service, who is the cousin of Khelvachauri Mayor Zaza Diasamidze.
“The Charter of Journalistic Ethics calls on the Ministry of Internal Affairs to immediately investigate the obstruction of journalists Sulkhan Meskhidze and Lela Dumbadze while performing their professional duties in Khelvachauri,” reads the statement released by the Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics.
The film crew of the online publication Mtis Ambebi was unlawfully obstructed while working in the village of Tskere, in the Khada Gorge. Under threats of violence and death, the journalists were forced to stop filming and leave the village.
The incident occurred on April 1. The crew traveled to the gorge after reports emerged that a landslide, caused by the construction of the Kvesheti-Kobi road, had swept away several local graves.
The crew was on-site to document the unfolding events in the village. The journalists arrived just as the relocation of a young man’s body from the collapsed cemetery was about to begin. However, they were prevented from moving freely. According to the publication, representatives of a Chinese company, along with supervisors and employees of the Roads Department, insistently demanded that they stop filming. On the orders of their manager, the company’s hired workers physically obstructed the crew, prevented them from operating a drone, and threatened to smash their equipment.
According to Mtis Ambebi, the Shida Kartli Regional Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation into the attack and the unlawful interference with the journalists’ professional activities under Article 154, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of Georgia. This article pertains to the unlawful interference with a journalist’s professional duties through threats of violence or abuse of official position. The crime is punishable by a fine or imprisonment for up to two years.
The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics expressed deep concern over the incident. In a statement, they noted that the attack bears clear signs of a criminal offense. The Charter calls on the Prosecutor’s Office to investigate the case quickly and effectively, and urges the Ministry of Internal Affairs to ensure a safe working environment for journalists.
On March 6, 2026, the Mayor of Tbilisi, Kakha Kaladze, addressed TV Pirveli journalist Lika Jankharashvili in an insulting manner. “Get prepared; don’t come here so unprepared. I’m giving you a ‘two’ [a failing grade],” Kaladze replied to the journalist, who was attempting to get an answer to a question regarding what “Georgian Dream” has done to improve relations with the United States.
This is not the first instance where the Mayor of Tbilisi has attacked and insulted journalists instead of answering critical questions. For example, on January 12, 2026, Kakha Kaladze verbally insulted another TV Pirveli journalist regarding a question about a ship identified as part of the so-called “shadow fleet” being in Kulevi port and the resulting threat of secondary sanctions against the country. On October 4, 2025, during the local self-government election day, he called journalists “rude.” Even earlier, on September 21, he labeled journalists “aggressors,” also in response to a critical question.
On February 26, 2026, at a Public Broadcaster board meeting, Lika Basilaia-Shavgulidze was verbally insulted by board member Gia Iakobashvili.
“Are you not putting the work and functioning of the Public Broadcaster at risk with this statement?” Lika Basilaia-Shavgulidze asked the board chairman of the Public Broadcaster, Vasil Maghlaperidze.
Lika Basilaya-Shavugilidze’s question concerned Vasil Maghlaperidze’s initiative; he wanted the board to express support for the television channels sanctioned by the United Kingdom.
On February 24, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on the pro-government television companies “Imedi” and “Postv” for spreading disinformation about Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country.
The chairman of the Public Broadcaster Supervisory Board, Vasil Maghlaperidze, and board member Bondo Mdinarishvili publicly expressed support for the sanctioned channels.
The Speaker of Parliament from “Georgian Dream,” Shalva Papuashvili, verbally insulted the television company “Formula” and journalist Salome Labadze.
The question posed by the “Formula” journalist concerned Georgia’s national hero, Maro Makashvili.
In response to the question, “Who killed Maro Makashvili?”, Shalva Papuashvili called the “Formula” journalist “shameful” and “funded by Kezerashvili.”
“You and your television channel spread shameful propaganda that seeks political speculation. I will not answer any such questions,” Papuashvili said (5:29 min).
Among politicians from “Georgian Dream” who verbally insult journalists from critical media, Shalva Papuashvili is the most active, and CMIS has documented numerous examples of this behavior.
On January 12, during a public comment, Kakha Kaladze verbally insulted a journalist from the TV company TV Pirveli. The incident followed a question posed by the journalist regarding the presence at the port of Kulevi of a vessel marked as part of the so-called “shadow fleet” and the risk of secondary sanctions being imposed on the country.
The mayor’s response to the journalist’s question contained offensive statements, including accusations that the journalist was lying and attempting to mislead the public. Despite the journalist’s efforts to obtain serious answers and relevant evidence, Kaladze continued to make insulting remarks.
Such rhetoric toward critical media outlets is systemic in nature and is regularly used by representatives of “Georgian Dream,” which significantly harms the environment for journalistic activity, especially when covering issues of high public interest.
On October 31, Georgian Dream representative from Tbilisi City Council, Otar Chrdileli, verbally abused journalists from TV companies “Formula” and “Pirveli”.
Otar Chrdileli told the journalists that they did not leave a “normal impression” mentally. The journalists asked Chrdileli questions about those detained during pro-European protests. The Georgian Dream representative also called critical TV channels “propagandists”.
