Since October 26 2024, after the parliamentary elections and pro-European protests in Georgia, journalists have repeatedly faced attacks and unlawful restrictions. There have been numerous cases of media workers being unjustly sanctioned while performing their professional duties including fines for allegedly blocking roads while reporting on the protests, often without any legitimate basis.
Blocking the road is considered a violation of the rules governing the organization and conduct of assemblies and demonstrations under Article 174¹ of the Administrative Offences Code. Journalists who are being prosecuted on these grounds were simply carrying out their professional duties during the protests. While demonstrators move onto Rustaveli Avenue and block the roadway, journalists are on the scene doing live broadcasts, conducting interviews, taking photos and videos, and performing other reporting tasks.
From 26 October 2024 to the present, 38 administrative penalty reports have been issued against journalists. The breakdown is as follows:
- 36 reports were issued on charges of “artificially blocking the roadway,” while in two cases journalists were accused of “violating traffic regulations“;
- Overall, 29 media representatives were fined, some of them on multiple occasions;
- As a result of appeals, 10 penalty reports were annulled;
- 19 cases remain pending;
- 4 journalists have paid the imposed fines;
- One case has been appealed to the Court of Appeal;
- One case has already been submitted to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
1. The Ministry of Internal Affairs fined OC Media founder and photographer Mariam Nikuradze four times for “artificially blocking the road” on March 11, March 15, April 2, and April 3. In total, the journalist was fined 20,000 GEL. Mariam Nikuradze appealed all of the fines. More than ten months have passed, and her appeals have yet to be reviewed. At the time the fines were issued, Nikuradze was carrying out her professional duties: she was covering a protest, wearing press identification, and had a camera with her.
2. Anamaria Gelitashvili, a journalist for the television company “Formula,” was fined twice, totaling 10,000 GEL, for “artificially blocking the road” on Rustaveli Avenue while performing her professional duties. The Ministry of Internal Affairs accuses her of “artificially blocking the road” during the protests on March 27 and May 6, 2025. According to Gelitashvili, in both cases she was carrying out journalistic work, and there is video evidence to support this. After appealing, one of the fines was canceled, but she has not been informed about the status of the second.
3. JAMnews copywriter Irakli Datunashvili was fined twice for “artificially blocking the road” during protests held on February 28 and March 6, 2025. The total amount of his fines is 10,000 GEL. He appealed the fines to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the proceedings have not yet been concluded.
4. Mariami Kavshbaya, a journalist for the online media outlet “Publika,” was fined twice, totaling 10,000 GEL, for “artificially blocking the road.” The administrative offense report against her was issued by the police on February 3, 2025. The Ministry of Internal Affairs accused her of “artificially blocking the road” while performing her professional duties on that day. Kavshbaya presented evidence to the court, including photos taken on that day and materials published on Publika’s Facebook page. In addition, she informed CMIS that even the video provided by the Ministry shows that she was working at the time of the fine. Despite this, the court upheld the fine and ordered her to pay 5,000 lari, which she did. The second fine was imposed for “blocking the road” during a protest on March 14. Kavshbaya appealed this fine, but the court has not yet scheduled a hearing.
5. On April 25, 2025, journalist Irina Makaridze was notified that she had been fined 5,000 GEL for “artificially blocking the road” on April 6. According to the journalist, she was on Rustaveli Avenue covering the protest for “Qronika+.” After appealing, Makaridze’s fine was canceled.
6. On April 12, 2025, Luka Katsitadze, a journalist for “Tabula,” was fined 5,000 GEL for “artificially blocking the road.” According to “Tabula,” Katsitadze was performing his professional duties on Rustaveli Avenue.
7. On April 10, 2025, Formula journalist Eliso Jariashvili was notified that she had been fined 5,000 GEL for “artificially blocking the road.” The Ministry of Internal Affairs accuses her of “artificially blocking the road” on March 12, 2025, while performing her professional duties. According to Jariashvili, the materials sent by the Ministry show that at the time of the fine, she was conducting an interview on Rustaveli Avenue together with camera operators and a colleague journalist. Jariashvili appealed the fine, but the case has not yet been reviewed.
8. On April 10, 2025, Judge Nino Enukidze fined photographer Goga Chanadiri 5,000 GEL. He is accused of “blocking the road” on February 7, 2025, on Rustaveli Avenue. The photographer was performing his professional duties at the protest and considers the fine unfair. The photographer has now appealed the fine to the Court of Appeals.
9. The Ministry of Internal Affairs accuses Tozu Gulmamedova, a journalist for the online media outlet “Mautskebeli,” of “artificially blocking the road,” and she was fined twice, totaling 10,000 GEL. She is accused of “artificially blocking the road” on February 16 and August 30, 2025. After the appeal, the Ministry of Internal Affairs annulled one fine, while in the other case his complaint was not upheld. With the help of the public, the journalist raised the money and paid the fine.
10. Khatia Ggogoberidze, editor-in-chief of “Media April,” was fined 5,000 GEL by the Ministry of Internal Affairs for “artificially blocking the road” while performing her professional duties. The Ministry accuses her of blocking the road on March 29, 2025. The official notice delivered to Ggogoberidze does not indicate that she was carrying out professional work she is identified as a participant in the protest. The journalist appealed the fine, but her appeal has not been reviewed, meaning the fine remains in effect.
11. Nino Dalakishvili, Georgia correspondent for “Voice of America,” was fined 5,000 GEL on charges of “blocking the road.” The journalist was working live from the area near Parliament. She received the police notice on March 25, 2025. Dalakishvili appealed the fine, but the case has not yet been reviewed.
12. Nino Baidauri, a journalist for “Netgazeti,” was fined 5,000 GEL by the Ministry of Internal Affairs on March 21, 2025, for “artificially blocking Rustaveli Avenue.” At the time of the fine, the journalist was performing her professional duties. She appealed the fine, but her case has not yet been reviewed.
13. Merab Merkviladze, a journalist for “Radio Tbilisi,” was fined twice, totaling 10,000 GEL. The Ministry of Internal Affairs accuses him of “artificially blocking the road” on March 18 and 19. The journalist appealed the fines, but the case has not yet been reviewed.
14. Giorgi Mosiashvili, a photojournalist for the TV ”Pirveli” was fined twice by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, totaling 10,000 GEL. The police accuse him of blocking Rustaveli Avenue on February 21 and March 11. In a post on social media, Mosiashvili noted that he was performing his professional duties at the time the fines were issued.
15. Nano Chakvetadze, a journalist for the TV “Formula,” was fined 5,000 GEL. She is accused of “artificially blocking the road” on March 13, 2025. Chakvetadze told CMIS that at the time of the fine, she was performing her professional duties on Rustaveli Avenue, working on a live broadcast. Specifically, she was providing Formula’s audience with information about citizens who were fined at the protest. The journalist appealed the fine, but she has not yet been informed whether the sanction was overturned.
16. Irakli Tabliashvili, another journalist and TV host for “Formula,” is accused of “artificially blocking the road” on February 24, 2025. He was fined 5,000 GEL. The journalist appealed the fine, but he has not been informed about the review of his case or its outcome.
17. On February 11, 2025, the Ministry of Internal Affairs fined Beka Beridze, a representative of the online media outlet “Project 64,” 5,000 GEL on charges of “artificially blocking the road.” Beridze appealed the fine, but the Ministry rejected his appeal. The decision is currently being contested in court.
18. On February 21, 2025, the Ministry of Internal Affairs fined Gela Bochikashvili, a journalist for “Radio Liberty” 5,000 GEL for “artificially blocking the road.” The journalist was covering a protest near the Parliament building. After appealing, the fine was canceled.
19. Basti Mgaloblishvili, a journalist for “Publika,” was fined for blocking the road during a protest on February 14, 2025. Video footage published by the journalist confirms that he was performing his professional duties and was wearing press identification. Despite this, the Ministry of Internal Affairs rejected his appeal. Mgaloblishvili then took the case to court, but it has not yet been reviewed.
20. “Studio Monitor” journalist Nino Tsverava was fined 5,000 GEL on February 17, 2025, for blocking the road. After presenting evidence, the fine was canceled.
21. The same day, journalist Nino Shubitidze was also fined 5,000 GEL, but her fine was canceled after evidence was submitted.
22. “Radio Liberty” journalist Giorgi Diasamidze was accused of “artificially blocking the road” while covering a protest on February 17, 2025. On February 21, he was informed of a 5,000 GEL fine, which was later canceled.
23. “Tabula” journalist Beka Jikurashvili was fined on February 14, 2025, for “artificially blocking the road” while performing professional duties. He wore a press card. The fine was later canceled.
24. On February 2, 2025, Natia Gogsadze, a journalist and presenter for “Mtavari Arkhi,” was fined 5,000 GEL for “artificially blocking the road” during a pro-European protest. She first appealed the fine in the city court, and when it was not overturned, she took the case to the appellate court, which also upheld the decision. Gogsadze has now filed a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
25. On January 17, 2025, law enforcement officers notified Nikoloz Chirakadze, a journalist for “Tabula,” that he had “violated traffic rules” on the capital’s central avenue and that legal proceedings would be initiated. According to “Tabula,” the journalist was performing his professional duties at the time. He appealed the fine, and it was subsequently canceled.
26. “Media April” photojournalist Vakho Kareli was accused of “artificially blocking the road.” The Ministry noted that he was on Rustaveli Avenue on January 26. When he stated that he may have been there for professional duties, the Ministry representative replied: “You must prove this with the relevant documentation, on which basis the court will make a decision.”
27. “Radio Liberty” journalist Eka Kevanishvili was accused of blocking the road on January 22, 2025, while filming video with an operator. She submitted documentation to the police; the fine was later canceled.
28. “Euronews” journalist David Kekenadze was fined 5,000 GEL by the Tbilisi City Court on January 3, 2025, for “artificially blocking the road” while covering a pro-European protest.
29. Director of the “Ninth Wave” in Poti and co-chair of the Regional Broadcasters Alliance, Germane Salia, was fined 1,000 GEL while participating in a protest march in Zugdidi. He stated he was present to cover the event journalistically. Three days later, while traveling from Poti to Zugdidi, the patrol police stopped him and informed him that his car was wanted in connection with the December 13, 2024, protest. Despite his explanation, the fine was imposed, and he paid it.
Georgian Dream increased the amount of fines in the context of the pro-European protests that began after November 28. According to amendments made to Georgia’s Code of Administrative Offence, the fine for illegally blocking a roadway has been increased tenfold from 500 GEL to 5,000 GEL.
