Formula TV presenter Vakho Sanaia is facing administrative detention for the second time over posts he published on social media. The case concerns two sarcastic posts and one video published on Facebook, all of which refer to Speaker of Parliament Shalva Papuashvili. One post was written a few minutes before his arrest (on July 22), and the other after his release from detention (on August 5).

The administrative proceedings against the journalist were initiated by the Interior Ministry’s “Hate Speech Monitoring Division.” This division is one of the government’s tools against freedom of expression, and the authorities use it proactively to punish people critical of them. The new division has been operating within the Interior Ministry since June 1. According to the official statement, its task is to monitor and proactively identify statements disseminated in the public space that degrade human dignity, are insulting, or contain hate speech, where these show signs of an administrative offense.

Vakho Sanaia has already served administrative detention once over posts about Shalva Papuashvili: on July 22, Judge Zviad Tsekvava sentenced him to 14 days. The division has fined or secured administrative detention for a number of civic activists over critical posts.