The conditions of imprisonment of poet Zviad Ratiani, who has been in prison since June 23, 2025 and is serving a sentence of deprivation of liberty in Gldani N8 Penitentiary Institution, have been made more restrictive; his regime has been changed from semi-open to closed. A semi-open regime allows a prisoner to serve the sentence in an open-type custodial setting, whereas a closed regime entails full isolation, including a significant reduction in the number of visits. According to Ratiani, he has in fact been held under closed conditions since the day of his arrest and has been placed in a solitary cell for six months.
Ratiani writes that on April 6 the penitentiary institution informed him that he is classified as a convict posing an “increased risk of danger,” on the basis of which his regime was changed. According to his explanation, in reality he has already for months been held in practically closed conditions, including in a solitary cell.
“As it appears, the aim was to further reduce my already limited visits… but what ‘increased risk of danger’ means in my case is the main question,” Ratiani writes. According to him, he has not had any conflict either with other prisoners or with the staff of the institution. The “risk assessment” cited as the basis for the decision relies on a “minutes of a closed session.” Zviad Ratiani addressed an open letter to the Minister of Justice, Paata Salia, and the leadership of the penitentiary system, in which he requests clarification on what grounds he was classified as a person of “increased risk.”
Zviad Ratiani was arrested on June 23, 2025 for slapping a police officer. On October 9, Judge Giorgi Gelashvili sentenced him to 2 years of imprisonment.
The Tbilisi City Court found several activists liable for administrative offences on charges of blocking the road. The decisions were issued by Judge Koba Chagunava.
Protest participant Rezi Dumbadze was sentenced to 4 days of administrative detention. The Ministry of Internal Affairs charged him with artificially blocking a roadway on January 31.
The same judge imposed 3 days of administrative detention on Zviad Mariamidze. Ana Meburishvili and Natia Tsitsilashvili were issued verbal warnings by the court.
On 16 October 2025, Georgian Dream adopted legislative amendments to the Criminal Code of Georgia and the Code of Administrative Offences of Georgia, which significantly restrict the forms through which demonstrators may express peaceful protest. Under these amendments, Article 174¹ of the Code of Administrative Offences was supplemented with paragraph 10, providing that participants in assemblies and demonstrations shall be subject to mandatory administrative detention for certain acts. These include, inter alia, covering one’s face with a mask or other means, possessing tear gas or similar substances, intentionally creating obstacles to pedestrian or vehicular movement, installing temporary structures, or partially or fully blocking a roadway.
A violation of this provision is punishable by administrative detention for up to 15 days, or up to 20 days in the case of an organizer. The amendments also introduced changes to the Criminal Code of Georgia, providing that the repeated commission of the above-mentioned acts within a one-year period may result in criminal liability.
Civil activist Tamuna Giorgadze writes on social media that Judge Manuchar Tsatsua of the Tbilisi City Court found Taso Dolidze liable for an administrative offence in connection with a protest held on the sidewalk and imposed 2 days of administrative detention.
Administrative proceedings against citizens in relation to sidewalk protests commenced following legislative amendments adopted by Georgian Dream on 12 December 2025. The amendments were adopted following accelerated parliamentary consideration over a three-day period. As a result of these amendments, protest activity on sidewalks was, in effect, also prohibited. For a first violation, the legislation provides for administrative detention for a period of up to 15 days (up to 20 days in the case of an organizer), while a repeated violation may result in the imposition of criminal liability. According to the assessment of Transparency International Georgia, “the detention of an individual for standing on a sidewalk, even under administrative procedure, let alone the imposition of criminal punishment cannot withstand any criticism when assessed against the standards of freedom of assembly guaranteed by the Constitution of Georgia and by international human rights instruments.”
The civil activist, who is an active participant in the protest rallies, writes on social media that a postal courier delivered to her part of the seizure orders, which are related to the non-payment of fines imposed on her.
According to a statement she published on social media, a postal courier delivered several seizure orders to her, related to fines imposed on her. She reports that she received six such orders in one day, while the total number amounts to 21, each concerning a fine of 5,000 GEL. The activist indicates that the sanctions are likely linked to her participation in protest actions and allegations of blocking a roadway.
Judge Tea Leonidze of the Tbilisi Court of Appeal upheld the judgment of the court of first instance and found guilty 11 individuals detained during the December 2024 protests.
The convicted individuals are: Andro Chichinadze, Onise Tskhadadze, Guram Mirtkhulava, Jano Archaia, Luka Jabua, Ruslan Sivakov, Revaz Kiknadze, Giorgi Terishvili, Valeri Tetrashvili, Sergei Kukharchuk, and Irakli Kerashvili. Each was sentenced to 2 years of imprisonment. The court qualified them as participants in group action. In their appellate complaints, the convicted persons sought the quashing of the first instance judgment and the delivery of an acquittal.
At first instance, Judge Nino Galustashvili of the Tbilisi City Court reclassified the initial charge (Article 225 of the Criminal Code) to Article 226, which concerns the organization of, or participation in, group action entailing a gross violation of public order. The Prosecutor’s Office, in the appellate proceedings, contested the judgment insofar as it concerned the legal qualification and requested that the defendants be convicted under a more serious provision participation in group violence.
Tbilisi City Court Judge Ekaterine Eliadze dismissed the lawsuit filed by Nino Zautashvili, a dismissed journalist and host, against the Public Broadcaster.
According to Zautashvili’s lawyer, Giorgi Iasashvili, they were seeking the annulment of the dismissal order and her reinstatement to the corresponding position.
“I know that I will see this case through to the end, and I will spare neither time nor energy for it. I know for a fact that I am right, and the judge also knew that the truth was on my side. In these terribly difficult times, when so many unjust decisions have been made, the single most important task remains ensuring the institutional independence of the judiciary,” Nino Zautashvili told Media Checker.
The Tbilisi City Court also dismissed the lawsuit of former Moambe anchor Vasil Ivanov-Chikovani, who sought the annulment of his dismissal order from the Public Broadcaster. This decision was subsequently upheld by the Court of Appeals.
The Public Broadcaster dismissed Nino Zautashvili, the host of the program Real Space, along with Vasil Ivanov-Chikovani on April 11, 2025.
On April 24, Tbilisi City Court Judge Liana Kazhashvili dismissed the case filed by Mzia Amaghlobeli, founder of Batumelebi/Netgazeti, against Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze. Amaghlobeli, who is currently in custody, alleged that Kobakhidze’s televised statements constituted defamation, violated the presumption of innocence, and damaged her honor and dignity.
“This is a dangerous precedent, not only for Mzia Amaghlobeli as the plaintiff in this case but for the justice system in general,” the journalist’s lawyer, Ana Rekhviashvili, told the media.
Neither Irakli Kobakhidze nor his legal representative appeared in court.
This marks the second time the Tbilisi City Court has reached such a decision. On November 24, 2025, Judge Davit Akobidze also ruled to dismiss a case in which Mzia Amaghlobeli sought a retraction of false allegations from Irakli Kobakhidze.
On April 24, TV Imedi a broadcaster sanctioned by the United Kingdom for spreading Russian disinformation published a social media post accusing the critical news outlet TV Pirveli of manipulation. The post concerns a report by TV Pirveli claiming that 60% of those granted Georgian citizenship in 2025 were Russian citizens.
TV Imedi writes that “beyond the statistical figure intended to mislead the public, the opposition media says nothing about the fact that restoration, retention, or the granting of citizenship by way of exception can be requested by former Georgian citizens or citizens who have either already lost or have not yet lost their Georgian citizenship after acquiring the citizenship of another country.”
The post features a photo of Nodar Meladze, the head of TV Pirveli’s news service, with the word “Manipulation” stamped across it in red. TV Imedi frequently publishes posts targeting the critical broadcaster TV Pirveli and its news director, Nodar Meladze.
On April 20, Judge Liana Kazhashvili announced a decision in which the court denied the complaint filed by former employees of “Real Space.”
The program “Real Space” aired on the Public Broadcaster until May 5, 2025, when the channel’s management decided to cancel the show. The “Real Space” staff subsequently sued the Public Broadcaster’s management. The decision announced on April 20 concerned the dismissal of Ketevan Kapanadze, Ioseb Katsitadze, Tamar Mshvenieradze, Omar Tsotsoria, and Tukha Kvinikadze. They are seeking the annulment of their dismissal orders and reinstatement to their respective positions at “Real Space” under the terms of their permanent employment contracts dated December 30, 2022.
Since November 2024, following the start of pro-European protests, demonstrators have been demanding open access to the airwaves. Employees of the Public Broadcaster joined this demand, and the “Real Space” team also openly criticized the channel’s editorial policy.
On April 11, 2025, the Public Broadcaster dismissed “Real Space” host Nino Zautashvili and “Moambe” anchor Vasil Ivanov-Chikovani. On May 1, “Real Space” was officially closed, and the contracts of team members who declined new offers were terminated.
On April 15, the bank accounts of three civil activists – Natia Megrelishvili, Natia Artmeladze, and Tamta Chkhaidze were seized for non-payment of fines, of which none of them had been notified. The activists reported the seizure on social media.
Tamta Chkhaidze, the spouse of “prisoner of conscience” Giorgi Okmelashvili and an active participant in protests, has been fined a total of 25,000 GEL. In comments to Batumelebi, she stated that she does not intend to pay the fines and has appealed the seizure. Giorgi Okmelashvili, a participant in protests against the so-called “Russian law,” was sentenced on May 17, 2024 to 5 years of imprisonment on charges of insulting a police officer.
Under Article 174¹ of the Code of Administrative Offences, “artificial blocking of the road” constitutes a violation of the rules governing the organization and conduct of assemblies and demonstrations. Since February 7, 2025, the fine for “artificially blocking the road” has increased tenfold to 5,000 GEL. Hundreds of participants in pro-European protests have reportedly been issued such fines, with the cumulative amount reaching several million GEL. Where fines remain unpaid, enforcement measures include the seizure of bank accounts. Multiple such cases have already been documented.
