Journalist Keta Tsitskishvili detaned for participating in protest
On Monday, October 20, journalist and TV presenter Keta Tsitskishvili from the TV company Formula was arrested. According to media reports, she is accused of blocking a road. A day earlier, on October 19, journalist Vakho Sanaia was arrested on the same charge and sentenced to five days in prison.
Journalist Vakho Sanaia detaned for participating in protest
On October 19, Vakho Sanaia, a journalist and TV presenter for the TV company Formula, was detained. He is accused of blocking a road, and the Tbilisi City Court sentenced him to six days of administrative detention.
Another Attack by “Georgian Dream” on “Batumelebi”/“Netgazeti” Founder Mzia Amaglobeli
On October 10, 2025, the Georgian Dream referred to the founder of “Batumelebi”/“Netgazeti”, the prisoner Mzia Amaglobeli, as a perpetrator and “executor of the tasks of the deep state”. This statement by the Georgian Dream followed the presentation of the IPI-IMS World Press Freedom Hero Award to Mzia Amaglobeli.
Tbilisi City Court Dismisses Former Moambe Host Vasil Ivanov-Chikovani’s Lawsuit
On October 10, 2025, Tbilisi City Court Judge Meia Melkadze dismissed the lawsuit of Vasil Ivanov-Chikovani, a former employee of the Public Broadcaster’s First Channel and host of the program “Moambe”.
Legal incidentSuspension of media operationsVerbal warning
Communications Commission begins enforcing new media regulations
On October 9, 2025, the Communications Commission issued a written warning to the television broadcasters “Formula” and “Formula Multimedia”, as well as the radio broadcasters “Journalists’ Union Khalkis Khma”, “Radio-TV Nori” and “Systema Gama” and ordered them to cease receiving funding from foreign powers for violating the Law of Georgia “On Broadcasting”.
Pro-government/Propaganda television station “POSTV”
Persecution for expressing critical position
Incident Type:
DiscreditingVerbal attack
POSTV, a pro-government television channel, has called journalist Tea Adeishvili a “national propagandist”
On October 5, 2025, the propaganda television station POSTV referred to “TV Pirveli” journalist Tea Adeishvili as a “national propagandist.” “I am a descendant of Kakutsa Cholokashvili’s comrade-in-arms” – this phrase, mentioned by Tea Adeishvili during the election broadcast, has been placed on the POTSV card without context, and Tea Adeishvili’s regalia reads – “National propagandist Tea Adeishvili”.
Pro-government/Propaganda television station “POSTV”
Persecution for expressing critical position
Incident Type:
DiscreditingVerbal attack
The pro-government TV station POSTV continues to criticize independent media
On October 5, 2025, the propaganda television station POSTV, affiliated with the Georgian Dream, referred to the independent online media outlets Netgazeti, Publika, and Tabula, as well as TV Pirveli and Formula, as “propaganda media of the National Movement.” POSTV accused the aforementioned media outlets of concealing information about a police officer injured during a protest the previous day, October 4.
Interference with professional duties | Persecution based on professional grounds | Interference with professional duties
Incident Type:
MIA statement threatens freedom of assembly and expression
On October 5, the Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that the October 4 gathering “aimed at overthrowing the government” and “soon acquired an unlawful character,” after which the ministry took “proportionate measures.” According to the agency, “based on yesterday’s events,” any gathering from October 5 will be considered a “continuation of an attempted overthrow” and the ministry will take appropriate measures “to protect public order and security.” In effect, this means that peaceful protesters may face legal prosecution simply for participating in the gathering. The statement came after the arrest of five organizers of the October 4 rally and a few hours before the announcement of a new rally by citizens and the Federalist Party.
Administrative body | An Individual | Public servant | An Individual
Interference with professional duties | Persecution based on professional grounds | Interference with professional duties
Incident Type:
Damage to equipmentInterferenceProhibition on filmingVerbal attackVerbal insultDiscreditingDamage to equipment
Multiple cases of obstruction, threats, and physical confrontations against journalists during the October 4 elections
On October 4, 2025, during the local government elections (which the opposition and a large part of society consider illegitimate), numerous cases of obstruction of work, threats, and verbal and physical abuse against media representatives were recorded.
Interference with professional duties | Persecution based on professional grounds | Persecution for expressing critical position
Incident Type:
Damage to equipmentPhysical injuryProhibition on filmingVerbal attackVerbal insult
Incidents of Interference, Violence, and Damage to Media Equipment During the October 4 Rally
On October 4, 2025, a large-scale protest rally in Tbilisi witnessed numerous cases of verbal and physical attacks on media representatives, obstruction of their work, and damage to equipment. For the first time during this rally, some online media outlets were unable to operate their Drone cameras, likely due to an artificial disruption.
