On August 11, 2025, several non-governmental organizations four of which are members of the Media Advocacy Coalition received another letter from the Anti-Corruption Bureau accusing them of violating the “Foreign Agents Registration Act” (FARA). The organizations concerned are the Civil Society Foundation, Transparency International Georgia, the Media Development Foundation, and the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED).
“They are threatening us with criminal liability and demanding explanations as to why we did not register as agents,” the organizations said in a joint statement.
According to members of the coalition, FARA does not apply to them, and they do not intend to comply with what they call “Russian laws.”
“Our mission is election observation, exposing corruption and disinformation, defending democracy, and assisting the Georgian people,” the organizations stated.
The NGOs first received a letter from the Anti-Corruption Bureau in June 2025.
The International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN), of which the Media Development Foundation is a member, condemned the harassment of fact-checkers and civil society in Georgia.
“The investigations launched by the Anti-Corruption Bureau, as well as the threat of criminal liability under the so-called foreign agents law, represent an alarming escalation against organizations that provide the public with reliable information,” the IFCN said in a statement.
On June 20, 2025, Georgian Dream Parliamentary Chairman Shalva Papuashvili attempted to discredit the pre-detained manager of the online publications Netgazeti and Batumelebi, Mzia Amaglobeli, with a post on social media: “Solidarity to violence is incitement to further violence.”
Papuashvili’s statement followed a post shared by the European Union Delegation, in which the delegation expressed solidarity with the publication Batumelebi and Mzia Amaglobeli and called on Georgian Dream to “stop the systematic attack on democratic institutions and fundamental rights.” The EU delegation’s post is accompanied by a photo featuring the EU ambassador and the editor of Batumelebi
French photographer Hicham El Bouhmid, who was covering ongoing protest actions in the country, was denied entry to Georgia. On August 3, 2025, he wrote on Instagram that after six hours of waiting and questioning at the Armenia–Georgia border, he was refused entry, with the official reason cited as “other cases provided for by Georgian legislation.”
Based on publicly available information from 2024–2025, the “Media, Information, and Social Research Center” recorded nine cases of foreign journalists and photographers being denied entry to Georgia, and one case of being denied exit from the country. In none of these cases did law enforcement specify the exact motive for the refusal of entry.
The television channel “Imedi,” controlled by the Georgian Dream party, criticized Al Jazeera’s report on Georgia during its weekly talk show Imedi Week and referred to independent and critical Georgian media and journalists as politically biased.
The report covered current events in Georgia and included respondents such as former Public Broadcaster journalist Nino Zautashvili and Netgazeti editor Nestan Tsetsladze. The author of the Imedi segment described them as “subjective journalists from politically biased online media funded by foreign organizations.”
“In the report, Al Jazeera’s journalist and their politically engaged respondents try to portray the term ‘deep state’ as if it was coined by Imedi,” says an Imedi journalist in one segment, while footage shows Netgazeti editor Nestan Tsetsladze and journalist Nino Zautashvili [timecode: 05:46–05:56].
The Imedi Week segment also mentioned Batumelebi/Netgazeti media manager Mzia Amaglobeli, who is in prison, casting doubt on her innocence.
“I advise Ms. Amaglobeli to file a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg if she believes she is imprisoned for practicing journalism. Her case is being expedited due to her imprisonment. A lot of money is being spent on her lawyers, so she should kindly go ahead and file in Strasbourg, though she does not,” says Rukhadze on Al Jazeera [timecode: 05:04–05:46]. Imedi repeats this segment in its report without providing the context of Amaglobeli’s imprisonment, omitting details or showing the respondent who could discuss the legality of her detention.
On July 29, 2025, Gori police officer Ioseb Gagnidze aggressively confronted journalist Giorgi Akhalkatsi, who was attempting to film ongoing investigative actions in Gori, and obstructed his work.
“Journalists, meet Gori police officer Ioseb Gagnidze, who told us: ‘If you don’t have your badge hanging around your neck, you are not journalists to me. I will interfere with your filming, call you liars, and if necessary, I won’t hesitate to use force,’” the journalist wrote on social media.
According to Giorgi Akhalkatsi, the officer became aggressive after noticing that the investigative actions were being conducted with procedural violations: the area was not cordoned off with protective tape, no lawyer was called, searches were conducted without the presence of outsiders, anyone could move freely in the area, and so on.
“Cartu Bank,” 35% of which is owned by oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili’s son, Uta Ivanishvili, is suing “TV Pirveli” for defamation. The plaintiff demands that the channel not refer to the bank as “Ivanishvili’s” or “the oligarch’s” bank.
According to Nodari Meladze, head of TV Pirveli’s news department, the report that prompted the lawsuit was aired in a news broadcast and was based on a resolution of the European People’s Party (EPP), which called for Cartu Bank to be disconnected from the international payment system SWIFT.
“They are demanding that this report not be posted on online platforms. Apparently, this issue is problematic for the bank, and they are seeking a court ban on media use of terms like ‘Ivanishvili’s bank’ or ‘oligarch’s bank,’” Meladze told Netgazeti. He also noted that Cartu Bank is seeking only a denial of the facts presented in the report, not monetary compensation.
According to the Media Advocacy Coalition, this lawsuit represents another case of Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP): “This case is another clear example of the targeted repressive policy toward the media conducted by Bidzina Ivanishvili’s ‘Georgian Dream,’” the organization said in a statement.
Television channels controlled by the Georgian Dream party, “Imedi” and the Public Broadcaster, were granted the right to film the court proceedings of businessman Giorgi Bachishvili, considered Bidzina Ivanishvili’s “personal prisoner.” This is the first case since amendments to the law banned the media from filming court hearings unless permission was granted by the High Council of Justice. Journalists from “Imedi” and the Public Broadcaster stated that they applied to the High Council of Justice on July 28 and received permission the following day.
On June 26, 2025, the Georgian Dream-controlled Parliament adopted amendments to the “Law on Common Courts,” which prohibited photo and video recording, audio recording, and broadcasting in court. Permission to film must be granted by the High Council of Justice. Since the law came into effect, media outlets with a critical editorial policy have submitted multiple requests to the High Council of Justice, but to date, none have received a response.
Moreover, organizations working on media issues have repeatedly called on the High Council of Justice to promptly develop procedures for granting permission to film court hearings, which would allow the media to receive timely responses to applications before the start of sessions, without unnecessary bureaucracy. However, so far, no feedback has been received from the High Council of Justice.
On July 30, 2025, it was announced that starting from the autumn season, the Public Broadcaster’s Channel One will no longer air the segment “People from History.” The host of the segment, Dimitri Silakadze, declined an offer to move to another program and decided to leave the channel. Silakadze is a participant and supporter of the ongoing pro-European protests in the country and is among those who have criticized the editorial policy of the Public Broadcaster.
“This was my last program on the Public Broadcaster… I wish our audience success. I also wish our country unity, strength, the establishment of a just state, and all the good that one can wish for their own country,” said the host to viewers in the season finale on July 29.
His segment “People from History” was initially broadcast on the program “This Weekend” and, since 2024, had moved to the Public Broadcaster’s radio show “Midday Peak Hour.”
In the past week, this is the third instance in which management has halted an ongoing project or segment: as of August 1, the program “This Weekend” will no longer air, and journalist Ia Antadze’s authorial project a series of profiles called “Interesting People”—will also end. All other members of “This Weekend” (seven journalists) and Ia Antadze have left the channel. The team also declined the offer to be redistributed across various TV and radio programs.
Earlier, in May, the Public Broadcaster closed its most well-known social program, “Real Space,” and terminated the employment contract of its host, Nino Zautashvili.
The dismissal or disciplining of employees critical of the channel’s editorial policy coincided with the pro-European protests. To date, more than 20 employees have been either dismissed or subjected to disciplinary sanctions at the Public Broadcaster through disciplinary proceedings.
On July 22, 2025, the head of the Tbilisi City Court’s bailiff service, Davit Matiashvili, threatened Zurab Vardiashvili, editor of the publication Publika, with accountability before the law over video recording. Vardiashvili was attempting to document how the bailiff service forcibly removed a member of an opposition party from the court building.
The incident occurred during the trial of Giorgi Akhobadze, a prisoner of conscience. According to Vardiashvili, Matiashvili forcefully removed Nodar Chachanidze, a member of the opposition party “Akhalis”, who had come to attend the trial. As soon as they left the building, the journalist began filming: “I started recording at the stairs. When he saw this, he pushed me and dragged me inside. He took my ID, saying it was confiscated, and threatened me with legal accountability.” Vardiashvili was held in a room inside the court building for several minutes before his ID was returned and he was released.
According to amendments to the Law on Common Courts, effective June 30, photo and video recording, as well as audio recording, are prohibited in courtrooms, corridors, and courtyards. Following the implementation of the new rule, media outlets submitted applications to the Justice Council for permission to record, but none have received a response so far.
Before the adoption of this repressive legislation, representatives of independent media were unlawfully obstructed while performing their professional duties in court buildings. After the changes, the bailiff service has been using force disproportionately and without justification, including against media representatives, to enforce the repressive legislation.
On July 17, 2025, Givi Mikanadze, Minister of Education, Science, and Youth of the ruling Georgian Dream party, called journalists “ridiculous” and “pathetic” in response to a question about his doctoral degree.
“You’re very ridiculous, really very ridiculous — so pathetic. What diploma are you even talking about? Doctoral candidate… you can find that in any of my CVs. You’re truly ridiculous. Do you even realize how pathetic you are?” Mikanadze said.
When Mikanadze was nominated as minister, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze introduced him as a PhD from the University of Amsterdam. It was later revealed, however, that Mikanadze had not actually obtained the degree. Journalists were attempting to verify this information.
