Shalva Papuashvili Chairperson of the Parliament of Georgia Targets Independent Publication Publika Again
On October 4, 2025, the day of local elections (which were boycotted by a large part of the pro-Western opposition and the public), the Chairman of the Georgian Dream Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, referred to the independent publication Publica as a “foreign-funded, propaganda” media outlet and accused it of a coordinated campaign of disinformation.
MP of the Georgian Dream and Chairman of Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, referred to TV Pirveli as “Khazaradze’s television”
On October 4, 2025, the day of the local self-government elections (which were boycotted by a large part of the pro-Western opposition and the public), the Chairman of the Georgian Dream Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, called some of the information disseminated by TV Pirveli from the polling stations “funny and curious” and referred to the TV company as “Khazaradze’s TV.”
Three foreign reporters faced problems entering Georgia, and two of them were turned away
In the last week of September 2025, three foreign photographers were denied entry into Georgia. Two of them were scheduled to cover the planned local self-government elections in the country. All three photojournalists had been to Georgia before, and they had covered the pro-European protests.
Interference with professional duties | Persecution based on professional grounds
Incident Type:
Attack on property→Damage to equipment | Damage to property (e.g. house, vehicle, office)
A bailiff from the Tbilisi City Court damaged the phone of a journalist from the TV “Formula”
On October 1, 2025, a bailiff of the Tbilisi City Court confiscated the phone of Natali Jakhutashvili, a journalist for the TV company “Formula”, and returned it broken.
Interference with professional duties | Persecution based on professional grounds
Incident Type:
Verbal attack→Verbal insult
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 marshal of the Tbilisi City Court. Gabadze was covering the court hearing of activist Gela Khasaia.
Anti-Corruption Bureau requests information from media to enforce repressive laws
Since May 2025, after the repressive laws came into force, the Anti-Corruption Bureau has requested large amounts of information from more than 60 non-governmental organizations, including several media outlets. The basis for this request is the Law on Grants. The Georgian Dream adopted an amendment to the Law on Grants on April 16, 2025. According to the amendments, the grantor (donor) must apply to the Government of Georgia for consent to issue a grant; the grantee, if receiving a grant without consent, will be fined double the amount of the grant.
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.
“Georgian Dream’s Tbilisi mayoral candidate, Kakha Kaladze, called journalists ‘abusers’ and verbally insulted them
On September 21, 2025, Kakha Kaladze, the incumbent mayor of Tbilisi and mayoral candidate from Georgian Dream, called journalists “abusers” and verbally insulted them.
