A Georgian Dream representative verbally attacked journalists from TV Pirveli and Formula
On October 31, Georgian Dream representative from Tbilisi City Council, Otar Chrdileli, verbally abused journalists from TV companies “Formula” and “Pirveli”.
Persecution based on professional grounds | Persecution based on professional grounds
Incident Type:
Detention/ArrestLegal incident
Another employee of TV “Formula,” Nika Pataraia was arrested
On October 25, 2025, TV company “Formula’s” cameraman Nika Pataraia was detained. The court sentenced Pataraia to 4 days of administrative detention for blocking the road.
The Georgian Public Broadcaster has imposed a disciplinary sanction on Kakha Melikidze for the second time
On October 25, Kakha Melikidze, the director of the on-air equipment and technology group at the Public Broadcaster, wrote on social media that he had received another warning from the channel and would be fined 30% of his November salary.
Persecution for expressing critical position | Persecution for expressing critical position
Incident Type:
DiscreditingVerbal attack
Another attempt by the Speaker of Parliament to discredit Netgazeti
On October 25, the Speaker of Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, once again tried to discredit Netgazeti. In a post published on his social media account, Shalva Papuashvili referred to Netgazeti as “a propaganda media outlet supporting terrorists.”
Persecution based on professional grounds | Persecution based on professional grounds
Incident Type:
Detention/ArrestLegal incident
Journalist Basti Mgaloblishvili from the online outlet Publika was arrested but released a few hours later
On October 24, Publika journalist Basti Mgaloblishvili was arrested and released a few hours later.
According to Publika, Mgaloblishvili was told that he had been “mistaken for someone else” and was then released.
TV Formula founder and director Giorgi Liponava arrested for participating in a protest
On October 24, 2025, the founder and director of TV Formula, Giorgi Liponava, was arrested for participating in a protest. He was sentenced to three days of administrative detention.
Writer and host of one of TV Formula’s programs, Zviad Kvaratskhelia, was arrested for participating in a protest
On October 24, 2025, Zviad Kvaratskhelia, a writer, publisher, and editor-in-chief of Intellect, was arrested for participating in a protest. The court sentenced him to three days of administrative detention.
Journalist Lika Basilaia-Shavgulidze, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Georgian Public Broadcaster, was arrested for participating in a protest
On October 22, 2025, Lika Basialia-Shavgulidze, a member of the Georgian Public Broadcaster Supervisory Board, was arrested at a protest.
Footage shows the journalist standing on the sidewalk, addressing the police. She was neither wearing a mask nor blocking the road.
Pro-government/Propaganda television station “Imedi”
Persecution based on professional grounds
Incident Type:
DiscreditingVerbal attack
After Mzia Amaglobeli received the Sakharov Prize, pro-government media once again tried to discredit the journalist
On October 22, Mzia Amaghlobeli, the founder of Batumelebi and Netgazeti, who has been imprisoned for more than nine months, received the European Union’s highest human rights honor, the Sakharov Prize. This recognition of the journalist was followed by yet another attempt by pro-government television stations to discredit her.
