Lawyer Shota Tutberidze was first issued an administrative offence report by Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and was later fined 4,000 GEL by Judge Davit Makaridze over a comment he posted under a social media post by Georgian Dream Parliament member Nino Tsilosani.
The fine was imposed under Article 173¹⁶ of Georgia’s Code of Administrative Offences, which concerns verbal insult, abusive language, offensive harassment, or other insulting actions directed at a state-political office holder, political official, public servant, person equated with a public servant, and/or civil servant in connection with the performance of their official duties or professional activities (except in cases covered by Georgia’s Criminal Code).
Article 173¹⁶ was added to Georgia’s Code of Administrative Offences in February 2025 following mass protests across the country, and since then has been increasingly used against activists, citizens, journalists, politicians and others. Many of the cases have involved social media posts and comments. Some individuals have been fined, while others have been sentenced to administrative detention.
The offence is punishable by a fine ranging from 1,500 to 4,000 GEL or administrative detention for up to 45 days.
Tsilosani’s original post concerned a visit by members of the Georgian Dream Parliament to Canada.
In the comment cited in the case, Tutberidze addressed Tsilosani as “Niniko” – a colloquial form of her first name used sarcastically – and made a profane remark asking whether she would again face intense criticism during the trip, or whether the delegation would “just visit the zoo and come back.”
Sandro Kepashvili, an inspector for special assignments at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, stated that Shota Tutberidze had insulted Nino Tsilosani.
In addition to Article 173¹⁶, in May 2026 the Georgian Dream authorities announced the creation of a special unit within the Ministry of Internal Affairs called the Division for Combating Hate Speech, which began operating on June 1.
According to the authorities, the division’s function is to monitor and proactively identify publicly disseminated statements on social media and in the media that are considered insulting, degrading to human dignity, or otherwise contain signs of administrative offences under Georgia’s Code of Administrative Offences.
The new division is also described as allowing oversight of social media posts and comments even when they are directed at private citizens and not public or political figures, a scope that was not covered under Article 173¹⁶ alone.
The creation of the division was met with public criticism and sarcasm, with some mocking it as the “scroll-screening division.”
News agency Interpressnews reported that the Division for Combating Hate Speech said that, since its establishment 15 days ago, it has submitted up to 60 cases to the common courts. Of these, preparatory hearings have been scheduled in 30 cases, while seven cases have already been concluded with final decisions.
“The first case hearing was completed on June 11, 2026, by the Bolnisi District Court, although the decision has not yet been announced. As for the first ruling delivered in these cases, it was announced on June 12, 2026, by the Oni Magistrate Court,” Interpressnews quoted the Division as saying.
Until June 15, the first publicly known case linked to the unit was a case of musician Maia Darsmelidze. She anounced that she was reported by Georgian Dream supporter Nino Jgharkava over posts published on Facebook.
According to Darsmelidze, she was contacted by the Hate Speech Prevention Division and notified of a court hearing scheduled for July 10.
