Verbal attack

A “Publika” journalist was threatened and an attempt was made to physically assault him by a Tbilisi City Court bailiff, who also threatened to call the police

On October 1, 2025, Publika’s journalist, Mindia Gabadze, was threatened with police intervention and faced an attempted physical assault by a Court bailiffl. Gabadze was covering the court hearing of activist Gela Khasaia.

According to Gabadze, before the hearing began, the head of the court bailiff’ service, Davit Matiashvili, threatened him that if he tried to record, he would “call the police and take him into the next room.”

Gabadze says he did not film anything inside the court building. After the hearing ended, when the Court bailiff began forcibly removing attendees and journalists, Gabadze was leaving the building calmly and peacefully. Nevertheless, according to him, Davit Matiashvili made three attempts (twice inside the building and once in the yard) to physically assault him — by kicking and grabbing him by the hand.

“There were two other incidents when another, inexperienced bailiff grabbed me by the neck. Each time, I was frozen in shock, and my editor was pulling me away from the Court bailiffs. Activists were also helping me,” the journalist wrote.

The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics emphasized that recent amendments to the Organic Law on Common Courts of Georgia have severely restricted the media’s ability to cover court proceedings. According to the organization, the media lack even the most basic working conditions in the courts, and the environment has become extremely hostile and dangerous.

“Every time journalists perform their professional duties in court, their health and lives are at serious risk. While working in the courts, journalists also risk losing their freedom — even when they are merely trying to protect themselves or a colleague from violence. Such treatment of journalists bears all the signs of targeted persecution,” the organization’s statement reads.

The Media Advocacy Coalition added:

“The ‘Georgian Dream’ judiciary has become a place of injustice and violence. Violence and brutal incidents against journalists have become a regular part of their professional experience.”

Shalva Papuashvili Continues Attacks on Independent Outlet Netgazeti

On September 22, 2025, Shalva Papuashvili, Speaker of Parliament from Georgian Dream, referred to the independent online outlet Netgazeti as propaganda media.

Shalva Papuashvili shared the statement against Netgazeti on his social media page. In his post, Papuashvili attached a screenshot of a Netgazeti article in which Mikheil Kavelashvili was referred to as “Georgian Dream’s president.”

“There is no test that would show that media covering news in this manner is not propaganda. There is no test that would show that whoever pays them is not financing propaganda…” Papuashvili wrote.

Recently, Shalva Papuashvili has often attacked Netgazeti with similar posts. He made a similar statement against Netgazeti on September 9. In the archive of the Center for Media, Information, and Social Studies, his verbal attacks can also be found against the outlets Publika, On.ge, and Tabula, as well as against Gela Mtivlishvili, editor of the outlet Mtis Ambebi. Papuashvili also tried to discredit Netgazeti/Batumelebi’s imprisoned manager, Mzia Amaghlobeli, referring to her as an “inciter of violence.”

“Georgian Dream’s Tbilisi mayoral candidate, Kakha Kaladze, called journalists ‘abusers’ and verbally insulted them

On September 21, 2025, Kakha Kaladze, the current mayor of Tbilisi and mayoral candidate from Georgian Dream, called journalists “abusers” and verbally insulted them.

“You are the first abusers, you are the ones who abuse and who try to… then you’re surprised when sometimes a microphone is hit against your head… then you wonder why.”

After this comment, a journalist asked Kaladze whether his statement was an encouragement of violence. The Georgian Dream mayoral candidate replied that he had not attempted to encourage violence and continued verbally insulting the journalists.

“This kind of politeness, generally, is taught in the family… It is clear and obvious what you represent, who you are, what you are, and that’s why you are so miserable, wretched, and degraded.”

Pro-government media tries to discredit TV Pirveli

On September 17, 2025, the Georgian Dream-supporting propaganda television station – Post TV published a Facebook post stating that TV Pirveli did not cover the fact that the government was transferring apartments to Internally Displaced families. The post also accused TV Pirveli of reporting

“only fake news.” It included a call to “turn off TV Pirveli.”

The publication of such material clearly shows how pro-government media uses the strategy of discrediting opposition media to deepen distrust towards and boycott critical media.

The independent TV company TV Pirveli has repeatedly become the target of attacks by Georgian Dream representatives, supporters, and state agencies.

“Radio Marneuli” became the target of censorship and threats from members of “Georgian Dream”

Individuals associated with the ruling party, “Georgian Dream,” demanded that Radio Marneuli delete information about one of the party’s candidates, threatening legal action in court if the demand was not met.

The incident occurred on September 9, 2025. According to Radio Marneuli, they had shared a post on social media from an activist regarding alleged crimes of Gamlet Ismailov, the “Georgian Dream” majoritarian candidate in Dmanisi. The activist wrote that the party candidate had married his own underage student years ago in the Karabulakhi community of Dmanisi, where he also served as the school director. The post further mentioned that Ismailov allegedly concealed information about the forced marriage of another underage student at the school, who later became a victim of femicide.

After sharing this post, the editorial office received multiple calls from the candidate’s representatives, first demanding the post be deleted, and later threatening legal action.

Following this incident, the current mayor of Dmanisi, Koba Muradashvili, also associated with “Georgian Dream,” threatened Radio Marneuli with a lawsuit after a journalist called him for a comment on the information.

Georgian Dream Chair of the Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, Continues Attack on Netgazeti

On September 9, 2025, Georgian Dream parliamentary chair, Shalva Papuashvili, called the independent online publication Netgazeti.ge “a platform for inciting violence, a propaganda platform, and a violent media outlet.”

His statement followed Netgazeti’s reporting on a protest rally announced for September 9 by Kakha Kaladze, Georgian Dream’s Tbilisi mayoral candidate. In the same post, Papuashvili employed anti-Western rhetoric and attacked donor organizations.

“Netgazeti, funded by Brussels, not only provides propaganda for violence, but also organizes a violent attack on the election headquarters of Georgian Dream. We have seen biased, partisan, yellow, all kinds of media, but ‘violent media’ is a new phenomenon that, like Rwanda’s ‘Radio of a Thousand Hills,’ is a product of foreign donors,” wrote the parliamentary chairman.

This is not the first time Papuashvili has targeted independent online media as propagandist outlets. The archive of the Center for Media, Information and Social Studies records his verbal attacks on Publika, On.ge, and Tabula, as well as on Gela Mtivlishvili, editor of Mtis Ambebi. Papuashvili has also attempted to discredit the imprisoned manager of Netgazeti/Batumelebi, Mzia Amaglobeli, referring to them as an “inciter of violence.”

Six journalists injured near Tbilisi mayoral candidate, Kakha Kaladze’s, campaign headquarters

On September 8, 2025, while covering a rally outside the election headquarters of Georgian Dream’s Tbilisi mayoral candidate, Kakha Kaladze, party supporters and law enforcement officers assaulted journalists, verbally abused them, and confiscated mobile phones. One journalist required medical treatment.

According to the online outlet Publika two reporters, Aleksandre Keshelashvili and Keto Mikadze, were physically assaulted by Georgian Dream supporters while on assignment, and their mobile phones were seized. With the help of a Netgazeti journalist, they recovered only one device Keshelashvili’s phone [timecode: 1:14–1:20]. The outlet reports that it has video evidence showing who took the other phone and has called on that individual to return it, and on the Ministry of Internal Affairs to respond to the theft of editorial equipment and interference in journalistic work.

According to online Netgazeti, a police officer swore at its reporter Ketevan Khutsishvili, physically grabbed and dragged her, and interfered with her work while she was broadcasting live and filming the confrontation outside the headquarters, including the attack on the colleague – Aleksandre Keshelashvili. “They used rude and vulgar gestures to swear. Then a policeman came up to me, saying, ‘Don’t provoke me,’ grabbed me by the arms and dragged me. Then a second and a third came, and one of the policemen cursed me. After that, a man in a blue shirt came and also cursed me. Finally, they dragged me and threw me among the policemen, and one of them even grabbed my hand,” Khutsishvili says. [Video material, timecode: 0:30–2:32]

A Georgian Dream supporter poured a bottle of water over Mariam Nikuradze, OC Media’s founder and photojournalist, as she filmed police clearing protesters. “At that moment, one of the Georgian Dream supporters approached me and poured a whole bottle of water on my head in the presence of the police. The police didn’t say anything to him, I pushed him aside,” Nikuradze told MediaChecker.

An investigative journalist with Studio Monitor, Keti Tutberidze was also poured a bottle of water while she was performing her professional duties.

Hungarian journalist László Róbert Mézes suffered serious physical injuries after being assaulted by Georgian Dream supporters, who also attempted to seize his phone. He required medical attention.

The Media Advocacy Coalition condemned the incidents, stating that “attacks on independent media and impunity for perpetrators are part of Georgian Dream’s consistent policy,” and expressed solidarity with journalists “forced to perform their professional duties under a violent regime.”

The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics “strongly condemns” the violence against journalists “against the backdrop of the criminal inaction and indifference of the police,” calling on the Ministry of Internal Affairs for an immediate response and on the Prosecutor’s Office to conduct an effective investigation.

Members of “Georgian Dream” and the police verbally and physically harassed journalists from “Publika”

On September 3, 2025, Beka Odisharia, a member of “Georgian Dream,” former MP, and candidate for Tbilisi City Council, verbally insulted “Publika” journalist Mindia Gabazde. Other members and supporters of “Georgian Dream” verbally and physically harassed and spat on the publication’s editor, Lika Zakashvili. The police, instead of protecting Zakashvili, interfered with her work by forcing her to stop filming through physical restraint.

The incidents occurred during the opening of the election campaign headquarters of “Georgian Dream” Tbilisi mayoral candidate Kakha Kaladze. The event took place against the backdrop of a protest, and journalists were attempting to cover the events.

Video footage recorded by “Publika” shows Beka Odisharia speaking insultingly to Mindia Gabazde after the journalist asked him a question. In the same episode, Odisharia also verbally abuses protest participants and other journalists present.

Lika Zakashvili became a target of “Georgian Dream” supporters when she tried to film their insulting actions toward activists. One person struck her and tried to take her mobile phone, then another approached from behind and spat on her. The footage shows that law enforcement did not intervene. On the contrary, in a subsequent clip, a police officer physically tried to stop Zakashvili from filming.

According to the Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics, “Impunity for crimes against journalists encourages perpetrators and drives them to commit more offenses.” The Charter calls on “Georgian Dream” to put an end to such practices, take responsibility, and ensure a safe working environment for journalists.

The Media Advocacy Coalition emphasized that this is not the first instance of violence against journalists by “Georgian Dream” supporters. “Under Bidzina Ivanishvili’s governance, we see systemic violence against independent media. Repressive legislation has been enacted against independent media. All of these incidents are part of a coordinated strategy aimed at suppressing independent media and critical voices in the country,” the coalition said.

UPDATE: Based on a complaint filed with the prosecutor’s office, on September 11, 2025, “Publika” editor-in-chief Lika Zakashvili was questioned. The prosecutor’s office opened a case based on Zakashvili’s statement.

Georgian Dream Parliamentary Chairman Attempts to Discredit Manager of Netgazeti and Batumelebi Publications

On June 20, 2025, Georgian Dream Parliamentary Chairman Shalva Papuashvili attempted to discredit the pre-detained manager of the online publications Netgazeti and Batumelebi, Mzia Amaglobeli, with a post on social media: “Solidarity to violence is incitement to further violence.”

Papuashvili’s statement followed a post shared by the European Union Delegation, in which the delegation expressed solidarity with the publication Batumelebi and Mzia Amaglobeli and called on Georgian Dream to “stop the systematic attack on democratic institutions and fundamental rights.” The EU delegation’s post is accompanied by a photo featuring the EU ambassador and the editor of Batumelebi

The pro-government television channel “Imedi” continues to discredit independent journalists and media outlets

The television channel “Imedi,” controlled by the Georgian Dream party, criticized Al Jazeera’s report on Georgia during its weekly talk show Imedi Week and referred to independent and critical Georgian media and journalists as politically biased.

The report covered current events in Georgia and included respondents such as former Public Broadcaster journalist Nino Zautashvili and Netgazeti editor Nestan Tsetsladze. The author of the Imedi segment described them as “subjective journalists from politically biased online media funded by foreign organizations.”

“In the report, Al Jazeera’s journalist and their politically engaged respondents try to portray the term ‘deep state’ as if it was coined by Imedi,” says an Imedi journalist in one segment, while footage shows Netgazeti editor Nestan Tsetsladze and journalist Nino Zautashvili [timecode: 05:46–05:56].

The Imedi Week segment also mentioned Batumelebi/Netgazeti media manager Mzia Amaglobeli, who is in prison, casting doubt on her innocence.

“I advise Ms. Amaglobeli to file a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg if she believes she is imprisoned for practicing journalism. Her case is being expedited due to her imprisonment. A lot of money is being spent on her lawyers, so she should kindly go ahead and file in Strasbourg, though she does not,” says Rukhadze on Al Jazeera [timecode: 05:04–05:46]. Imedi repeats this segment in its report without providing the context of Amaglobeli’s imprisonment, omitting details or showing the respondent who could discuss the legality of her detention.