Another precedent has been set at the Tbilisi City Court, where two civil activists were ordered to four days of detention each for protesting on the sidewalk.
Sandro Megrelishvili and Dimitri Jamburia are the first individuals to be sentenced to detention since the adoption of a new repressive law by Georgian Dream that severely restricts freedom of expression.
Megrelishvili and Jamburia took part in a protest held in December 2025 near the Parliament building in Tbilisi. After Georgian Dream drastically tightened repressive legislation, the protest was confined to the sidewalk.
According to lawyers and human rights defenders, the law under which Georgian Dream restricts freedom of expression on sidewalks is unconstitutional.
In connection with the so-called “sidewalk cases,” the court is also hearing today the cases of Luka Nagliashvili, Ani Akhmeteli, Misha Zakareishvili, Natia Chavchanidze, and Nukri Kakulia.
On January 22, the first ruling under the same charge was delivered: the accused was found to have committed an administrative offense, but detention was not imposed.
Under the latest repressive amendments to the Law on Assembly and Manifestation, organizers are now required to notify the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) at least five days before holding a gathering or demonstration in public spaces.
If the MIA decides, it has the authority to assign an alternative time and location for the event.
The repressive law introduced by Georgian Dream provides for up to 15 days of detention for violations of these rules, and up to 20 days for organizers. Repeat offenses may trigger criminal liability, punishable by up to one year in prison.
Since the law came into effect on December 12, several citizens have already been issued administrative offense protocols for protesting on sidewalks and summoned to court.
UPDATE
Luka Nagliashvili and Misha Zakareishvili were sentenced to five days of administrative detention each, and Nukri Kakulia to four days.
