location: Tbilisi

Netgazeti journalist Keti Khutsishvili provided CMIS with information regarding two fines issued against her. The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) fined Khutsishvili a total of 10,000 GEL for “artificially blocking the road”—the first instance occurring on April 2, 2025, and the second on June 13, 2025. The journalist has appealed both fines, which are currently under review.

Keti Khutsishvili was performing her professional duties at the time the fines were issued.

CMIS is documenting cases of journalists who have been fined or administratively detained on the grounds of “artificially blocking the road.”

Given the ban on photography, video, and audio recording in courtrooms, sketches produced by artists remain one of the few ways to visually document legal proceedings. Despite this, during the March 18 hearing for Anton Chechin, Sergei Kukharchuk, and Artyom Gribul, Judge Nato Khujadze attempted to restrict an artist’s work, directing that “faces should not be flaunted.” After defense lawyers clarified that sketching is not prohibited—a point the prosecutor also conceded—the artist was allowed to continue working, though with the restriction that faces not be depicted.

This situation unfolds against the backdrop of legislative amendments passed in June 2025, which effectively banned recording in courtrooms. These changes have significantly complicated media coverage of trials and diminished the public’s access to information.

The court is currently holding a pretrial hearing for a new case involving Anton Chechin, Sergei Kukharchuk, and Artyom Gribul. The Russian and Ukrainian nationals, who have already been convicted in cases related to protest rallies, are now being accused of “group playing of handmade cards” while in the penitentiary facility. This charge carries a sentence of 3 to 5 years in prison. Chechin and Gribul are already serving 8.5-year sentences, while Kukharchuk is serving a 2-year sentence. Following the new charges, the prisoners were transferred to separate cells.

On March 12, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling on the Georgian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release opposition politician Elene Khoshtaria, journalist and founder of Batumelebi and Netgazeti Mzia Amaghlobeli, and other detained individuals.

The document also addresses the persecution of the opposition and activists, urging the government to repeal restrictive laws and ensure an independent investigation into allegations of potential ill-treatment of detainees and the misuse of legislation.

Following the adoption of the resolution, the television station Rustavi 2 published a report referring to Mzia Amaghlobeli as a “police abuser.” This phrasing serves as a continuation of the discreditation narrative against her, which has been actively promoted in pro-government rhetoric since her arrest.

Director Goga Khaindrava, a supporter of “Georgian Dream,” is calling on the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia, the State Security Service (SSG), and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia to investigate a report about him that aired on Formula TV.

The report in question was broadcast on Formula TV on January 17, 2026. It claimed that between 2016 and 2017, in coordination with the State Security Service and in exchange for payment, Goga Khaindrava facilitated the entry of Indian and Pakistani citizens into Georgia.

“The report suggested that, in agreement with the SSG, I intentionally committed a very serious crime. To me, this crime is equivalent to treason against the state. It is treason when you illegally bring potential criminals into the country’s territory in exchange for bribes. Therefore, in addition to filing a lawsuit in court, I am appealing to the Prosecutor’s Office and asking them to conduct an investigation into the matter to determine who is at fault: myself, the SSG, the Border Police, or ‘Falsehood Formula’ LLC,” Khaindrava stated during a press conference.

Following the airing of this report in January of this year, Goga Khaindrava announced that he would take legal action against Formula TV. It is worth noting that after the segment was broadcast, the program’s host, Davit Kashiashvili, received a threatening message from an unidentified individual. The author of the threat wrote to the journalist: “Tbilisi is a small city… take care of yourself, buddy.” Davit Kashiashvili announced this himself during a live broadcast, thereby notifying the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia about the incident.

On March 11, 2026, it was revealed that TV Pirveli’s satellite broadcasting had been cut off due to financial debt. According to the television station, the costs associated with satellite and open-air broadcasting have become too high for them to continue covering.

The channel is now appealing to its viewers for assistance and has published an account number for donations. “We are launching a new campaign! With your participation, you can help share TV Pirveli’s broadcast with all of Georgia and the emigrants watching us via satellite across Europe and Asia,” reads the statement issued by TV Pirveli.

While the channel’s live broadcasts remain available online and through paid television platforms such as Magti and Silknet, the cutoff means that viewers in regions and remote areas—where such services are less accessible or rarely used—will no longer have access to the station’s programming.

TV Pirveli is not an isolated case. Recently, many media outlets in Georgia have faced financial hardships as a result of the “Georgian Dream” party’s repressive legislative policies, which are aimed at restricting independent and critical media.

The pro-government television station Rustavi 2 produced a disinformation segment regarding the investigative studio “iFact,” accusing the media outlet of cooperating with foreign intelligence services and acting against the interests of Georgia.

The Rustavi 2 report, titled “Information Attack Against the Country,” concerned the British government’s sanctioning of pro-government TV channels. The main narrative of the segment was that “the primary tools for foreign powers in Georgia are local NGOs and media outlets, which operate against the country’s interests according to pre-designed schemes coordinated with foreign special services.” As an example, Rustavi 2 cited an investigative report by “iFact” regarding the entry of tankers loaded with Russian oil into the Kulevi terminal.

“One of the tools in the hands of foreign powers has become the media platform ‘iFact,’ which wrote in advance that London would sanction the tankers entering the Kulevi terminal. The information was first published by ‘iFact,’ and subsequently, the United Kingdom added two ships to the sanctions list,” the anchor states, later specifying that this is part of a broader scheme. “Foreign special services make good use of proven methods, and the activities of Georgians in analytical organizations are precisely determined by the intelligence of other countries,” says one of the anchors while introducing the segment [Timecode: 20:28 – 26:40].

According to the founder of “iFact,” Nino Bakradze, such a disinformation report only serves as proof of how deeply the “Georgian Dream” party is unsettled by the studio’s investigations into Russian tankers in Georgian ports.

On March 10, 2026, it was revealed that the “Georgian Dream” government denied a visiting delegation from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly permission to visit the founder of the publications Batumelebi and Netgazeti, journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli, in prison.

“We requested to visit the prisoners who are in jail, particularly the Sakharov Prize laureate [Mzia Amaghlobeli]. We expressed this to the Prime Minister, the President of the country, the Minister of Internal Affairs, and the Speaker of Parliament. And they replied to us: No,” stated Pere Joan Pons Sampietro, President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, during his official visit to Georgia while speaking with journalists.

This fact is also confirmed by a statement released by the delegation regarding their visit to Georgia. This is not the first time “Georgian Dream” has prevented an international delegation from visiting journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli. In November 2025, members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) who were in Tbilisi attempted to visit the detained journalist, but were refused entry to her prison cell. Similarly, in May 2025, a delegation of MEPs in Tbilisi was also unable to obtain permission to see Mzia Amaghlobeli.

On March 6, 2026, the Mayor of Tbilisi, Kakha Kaladze, addressed TV Pirveli journalist Lika Jankharashvili in an insulting manner. “Get prepared; don’t come here so unprepared. I’m giving you a ‘two’ [a failing grade],” Kaladze replied to the journalist, who was attempting to get an answer to a question regarding what “Georgian Dream” has done to improve relations with the United States.

This is not the first instance where the Mayor of Tbilisi has attacked and insulted journalists instead of answering critical questions. For example, on January 12, 2026, Kakha Kaladze verbally insulted another TV Pirveli journalist regarding a question about a ship identified as part of the so-called “shadow fleet” being in Kulevi port and the resulting threat of secondary sanctions against the country. On October 4, 2025, during the local self-government election day, he called journalists “rude.” Even earlier, on September 21, he labeled journalists “aggressors,” also in response to a critical question.

The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) is accusing Mariam Dzidziaria, a journalist for the online publication Netgazeti, of “blocking the road” on Rustaveli Avenue. The charges stem from the “Saturday March” rally held on January 31, 2026, where Dzidziaria was performing her professional duties. According to Netgazeti, while covering the protest, Mariam was wearing a press badge and a “PRESS” armband, and was carrying a camera.

On March 6, it was revealed that administrative proceedings on identical charges have been initiated against two other media representatives. The MIA is also accusing Tabula journalist Mariam Kuprava and photographer Giorgi Tarkhnishvili of “blocking the road” while fulfilling their professional duties.

The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics stated that the MIA’s stance toward journalists covering protest rallies raises serious suspicions that the true objective of law enforcement is to intimidate them and force them to stop informing the public about protest sentiments. “Systemic pressure on journalists and the media violates the public’s right to be informed and damages the country’s interests,” the Charter’s statement reads.

Under the repressive legislative amendments passed by “Georgian Dream,” blocking a roadway has become a punishable offense. This is prohibited under Article 174-prime, Part 10 of the Administrative Offenses Code. Later, standing on the sidewalk was also integrated into this same article, leading to the prosecution of protesters as well.

Violating this article carries a penalty of up to 15 days of administrative detention (up to 20 days for organizers). Administrative detention does not apply to pregnant women, mothers with children under 12, minors, or persons with severe or significant disabilities. Instead, they face a fine of 5,000 GEL, or 15,000 GEL if they are an organizer. A repeat of the same “offense” leads to criminal liability.

Since October 26, 2024, more than 40 citations have been issued to journalists on charges of “blocking the road.”