Former Georgian lawmaker Givi Targamadze was released from prison on January 26 after serving a seven-month sentence for refusing to appear before the so-called Tsulukiani Commission, established by the Georgian Dream–controlled parliament to “investigate crimes of the previous government,” a process critics say is being used to justify the banning of political parties. Speaking to …
Author Archives: Batumelebi&Netgazeti
ECHR Takes Up GYLA Case Over Alleged Mass Violations of Ballot Secrecy in 2024 Elections
The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg has begun a substantive review of the application filed by the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) concerning the 2024 parliamentary elections, the organization announced. “The court has emphasized that the case may be granted the status of a matter of significant impact. The case concerns widespread violations …
Independent Georgian Media Outlet Radio Marneuli Receives Second Warning Over Foreign Funding
The Georgian National Communications Commission has issued a written warning to independent regional media outlet Radio Marneuli over a grant received from the U.S.-based international organization NED. “32,542 GEL, which we were warned about, covered the four-month salaries of 12 staff members,” Radio Marneuli’s founder and director, Kamila Mamedova, told Batumelebi. “The funds were received as …
Opposition Leader Giorgi Vashadze Leaves Prison After Serving Seven-Month Sentence
Giorgi Vashadze was released from prison today, January 23. He had been held in Rustavi No. 12 Penitentiary for seven months. Giorgi Vashadze is the leader of the political party Strategy Aghmashenebeli. He was arrested on June 24, 2025, for failing to appear before the so-called Tsulukiani Investigative Commission. “I am spirited and optimistic… I …
Two Activists Ordered to Detention for Sidewalk Protest as Court Applies New Restrictive Law
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 …
Defendants in the October 4 Case Remain in Custody – Joint Case of 10 Defendants
On January 22, the Tbilisi City Court, presided over by Judge Irakli Khuskivadze, held another hearing in one of the October 4 cases involving ten defendants and kept the in detention. This group of defendants includes the so-called “members of the organizing committee”: Paata Burchuladze, Murtaz Zodelava, Irakli Nadiradze, Paata Manjgaladze, and Lasha Beridze, as …
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First Ruling Under New Law – Citizen Penalized for Sidewalk Protest
A first precedent has been set regarding sidewalk protest cases. Citizen Rezi Dumbadze was declared to have committed an administrative offense solely for standing on the sidewalk during a protest. However, Judge Tornike Kapanadze issued him only a verbal warning and did not impose administrative detention. This information was shared by Dumbadze himself and his …
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ECHR Rules Georgia Violated Rights of Protester Detained During 2023 ‘Russian Law’ Rallies
A citizen detained during protests against the so-called “Russian Law” has won a case against the Georgian government at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. Giorgi Mekvabishvili was detained in 2023, when Georgian Dream first initiated the “Russian Law” [Law on transparency of foreign influence]. His rights were defended by the Georgian Young …
Ombudsman Files Constitutional Complaint Against Protest-Limiting Legislation
The Public Defender has submitted a constitutional complaint to the constitutional Court challenging the restrictions defined by Georgia’s Law on “Assemblies and Manifestations,” including the blanket prohibition on covering one’s face with a mask or by any other means. According to the Public Defender’s Office, in addition to the substantive restrictions related to the rules …
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“She Has No Expectations” – Mzia Amaglobeli’s Brother Comments After Meeting Her in Prison
“Mzia thanks everyone. She has no expectations and has no information whatsoever regarding a possible pardon… No one from the prison administration has visited her today or yesterday either. Due to the weather, she has not been able to watch television channels. Yesterday, only Formula was available until 7 p.m. Mzia is feeling well and …
Kutaisi Court Jails Four Miners as Defendants Denounce Case as Politically Motivated
The Kutaisi City Court has sentenced four miners to prison. Merab Saralidze and Giorgi Neparidze were each sentenced to 6 years and 3 months in prison, while Tengiz Gvelesiani and Archil Chumburidze received sentences of 4 years and 3 months. The verdict was announced by Judge Tamar Mazanashvili. The prosecution charged the miners – Giorgi …
Sakharov Prize Laureate Mzia Amaglobeli Convicted After Unfair Trial, CFJ’s TrialWatch Says
The trial and conviction of Georgian journalist Mzia Amaglobeli violated her right to a fair trial and constituted an abuse of process, the Clooney Foundation for Justice asserted in a new TrialWatch Fairness Report released today. Amaglobeli, who was arrested one year ago this week, is the co-founder of the independent Georgian media outlets Batumelebi …
Georgian Dream Seeks Retraction and Apology From BBC Over Chemical Weapons Report
“Georgian Dream” has filed an official complaint with the BBC. The announcement was made by Shalva Papuashvili, Speaker of Parliament of Georgian Dream. According to him, the complaint was submitted to the BBC yesterday, on January 14. On December 1, the BBC published an investigative report alleging that chemical weapons dating back to World War …
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ECHR Registers Second Application by Jailed Georgian Journalist Mzia Amaglobeli
The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA), which represents the interests of journalist Mzia Amaglobeli before the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), has announced that the Court has registered a second application lodged on her behalf. This application concerns her administrative detention and the related proceedings. Sakharov Prize 2025 laureate and Georgia’s first female journalist …
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Sanctioned Justice: 44 Judges Targeted for Georgian Dream’s Crackdown in 2025
As in previous years, Western countries imposed sanctions in 2025 on dozens of Georgian Dream representatives and allies. Among those sanctioned were judges who, through their roles in the party’s repressive measures, presided over both criminal and administrative cases against protest participants. In total, 47 judges have been sanctioned by Western countries in recent years. …
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From Protest to Punishment: Georgian Dream’s 2025 War on Expression
Amid ongoing protest rallies, Georgian Dream spent the year intensifying efforts to suppress dissent by enacting laws that restrict freedom of expression. The party’s crackdown began in late 2024, when, on December 13, it criminalized several actions that had never previously been considered offenses. Protesters were banned from covering their faces and carrying lasers, while …
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Dream vs. Dream: 10 Major Cases Against Former Officials in 2025
In 2025, internal power struggles within Georgian Dream escalated, resulting in the criminal prosecution of several high-ranking former officials, including a former prime minister and the former head of the State Security Service. While most of these officials face corruption charges, the former chief prosecutor stands accused of ordering a murder. In addition to targeting …
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Former Defense Minister Bacho Akhalaia Detained in October 4 Case: What We Know
On December 25, former Georgian Defense Minister Bacho (Bachana) Akhalaia, who served a nine-year prison sentence under the “Georgian Dream” government, was arrested again. The State Security Service (SSSG) says the investigative authorities consider him the “main organizer” of the October 4 events. Akhalaia has previously told the media that he even feels embarrassed by …
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“A Legally Worthless Verdict”: Lawyers Challenge Mzia Amaglobeli’s Conviction at Supreme Court
The lawyers representing Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought 2025 laureate, imprisoned Georgian journalist Mzia Amaglobeli, have filed a cassation appeal with the Supreme Court of Georgia. The lawyers are challenging the decision of the Kutaisi Court of Appeal, which upheld the two-year prison sentence imposed on Mzia Amaglobeli by the Batumi City Court. In …
Detention for Sidewalk Protests: Georgian Dream Enforces New Amendments to Assembly Law
The Georgian Dream party has begun enforcing latest repressive amendments to the Law on Assemblies and Demonstrations, under which protesting on sidewalks may result in administrative detention. Since December 23, more than ten citizens have been summoned to court on allegations of blocking pedestrian movement. Most hearings are scheduled for December 25–26 and relate to …
De Facto South Ossetia’s KGB Accuses Prominent Activist Tamar Mearakhishvili of Espionage
The de facto security agency of Russian-occupied South Ossetia [KGB] has specified a new charge against the Akhalgori-based Georgian activist Tamar Mearakishvili, who is currently detained. She is “suspected of transmitting information to foreign media outlets affiliated with Georgian intelligence services.” At this stage, even her family members are unaware of her whereabouts or other …
Former Georgian State Security Chief Grigol Liluashvili Arrested on Multi-Million Bribery Charges
Former State Security Service chief Grigol Liluashvili has been arrested on corruption charges, prosecutors say. He is accused of accepting millions of dollars in bribes between 2021 and 2023, including payments from a Turkish investor to lobby for wind power projects, bribes linked to gasification tenders, and proceeds from protecting fraudulent ‘call centers’. Prosecutors also …
Mzia Amaglobeli’s Address to the European Parliament: “Use All Available Mechanisms Before It Is Too Late”
On December 16, Mzia Amaglobeli was awarded the European Union’s highest human rights honor, the Sakharov Prize, in Strasbourg. She received this prestigious award jointly with Belarusian journalist Andrzej Poczobut, who is also imprisoned. The award was accepted on her behalf by Irma Dimitradze, a journalist from Batumelebi, who also read a letter from Mzia …
GYLA: After Months of Delays, Amaglobeli to Receive Eye Examinations at Clinic of Her Choice
The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) announces that, according to their information, Mzia Amaglobeli will undergo eye examinations this week at a clinic of her own choosing. “GYLA has learned that this week the prison administration plans to have Mzia Amaglobeli undergo eye examinations at the clinic she selected,” the organization writes. Mzia Amaglobeli — …
Camite: What We Did—and Did Not—Learn About the Substance Mixed into Water Cannons
On December 1, the BBC World Service published an investigative report alleging that Georgian police forces targeted demonstrators with chemical weapons dating back to World War I during last year’s anti-government protests. Georgian Dream denies the BBC’s information and claims that no banned substance was used; however, to this day, they have not specified exactly …
Interview with a Doctor Whose Study on Chemical Exposure During Georgia’s Protests Was Featured in the BBC Investigation
On December 1, the BBC World Service released a documentary indicating that the Georgian authorities likely used a toxic chemical compound called against protesters during the first week of the pro-European demonstrations. According to the BBC investigation, the compound is Camite—a substance last used during World War I. The report highlights the ongoing protests that …
Eagle Hills in Europe: What Happened to Its Mega-Projects?
In recent days, public debate in Georgia has intensified over the investment agreement signed with the UAE-based company Eagle Hills. The deal, valued at $6.6 billion, envisions large-scale development projects in Tbilisi and Adjara, including the construction of new residential areas and tourist infrastructure. The agreement has been designated as a commercial secret. The ruling …
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Appellate Court Upholds Two-Year Prison Sentence for Mzia Amaglobeli
Today, November 18, the Kutaisi Court of Appeals upheld the Batumi City Court’s verdict sentencing Mzia Amaglobeli to two years in prison. The decision will be appealed to the Supreme Court of Georgia. On August 6, Batumi City Court judge Nino Sakhelashvili reclassified the charges. Amaglobeli was initially charged under Criminal Code of Geogria, Article 353¹ …
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“I’m not afraid of imprisonment, I am afraid of what I will find outside – will I find a country conquered by the Russia without a tank?!”
Journalist Mzia Amaglobeli, laureate of Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, addressed panel of judges at the end of appellate hearing: “There is nothing to say, really, except to express my gratitude for this worthy defence. The defence speech that we heard today in this historic building, which is called the court, is the voice …
“I Demand Acquittal, Not Pardon”: Defence Concludes Five-Hour Closing Statement
At the Kutaisi Court of Appeal, journalist Mzia Amaglobeli’s lawyer Maia Mtsariashvili concluded her closing statement. At the end of her 5-hour speech, she addressed the judges – Nikoloz Margvelashvili, Nana Jokhadze and Marina Siradze. “Judges, The court of first instance saw and heard everything – it cannot be shown more clearly than we have …
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“When a Citizen Is a Prisoner of Conscience: Is Georgia a True Rule-of-Law State?” – Closing Statement of Amaglobeli’s Defence
At the appellate hearing of Mzia Amaglobeli, lawyer Maia Mtsariashvili described her client’s integrity, her lack of political or economic influence, and law-abiding life, stressing that given Amaglobeli is recognized as a prisoner of conscience, it is now the court’s responsibility to determine whether Georgia truly functions as a rule-of-law state. She stated: “Today, I …
“This Is a Case of Systemic Illegality and Violence”: Amaglobeli’s Defence Delivers Closing Statement at Appellate Court
“This is a case of systemic illegality, systemic violence. This is a case of police retaliation, a case of whitewashing the system’s unlawful actions. At the same time, it is a case of police revenge,” said Maia Mtsariashvili today, on November 18, during Mzia Amaglobeli’s ongoing hearing at the Kutaisi Court of Appeals. At this …
Ivanishvili-Affiliated Speaker Calls U.S. Vice President JD Vance a “Deep State” Representative
Zaza Shatirishvili, a speaker affiliated with Bidzina Ivanishvili — a Russia-enriched oligarch and Georgia’s strongman — is calling U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance a representative of the “deep state.” His letter was disseminated by the Georgian Dream propaganda mouthpiece Imedi TV. The statement issued under Shatirishvili’s name is built entirely around conspiracy theory rhetoric. In …
Georgian Dream Moves to Ban Overseas Voting, Targeting Large Critical Electorate
Georgian citizens will no longer be able to vote from abroad in parliamentary elections — Georgian Dream plans to introduce corresponding amendments to the Election Code. The statement was made today, 17 November, by GD’s Parliamentary Speaker Shalva Papuashvili. According to him, a new Election Code will be initiated in Parliament, which will include “essentially …
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Another Application Concerning Violations of the Rights of Mzia Amaglobeli has been Lodged before the Strasbourg Court
One day before the final hearing in the appellate case of Georgia’s imprisoned journalist Mzia Amaglobeli, the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) has announced that it is filing a new application with the ECHR on behalf of her. The application concerns Mzia Amaglobeli’s unlawful administrative arrest and the violations committed in the course of the …
“No ‘Deep State’ Found” – Nine Months Later, Phone Exam Shows No Evidence Against Mzia Amaglobeli
The second appellate hearing in the case of Georgia’s imprisoned journalist and 2025 Sakharov Prize laureate, Mzia Amaglobeli, took place on November 18 at the Kutaisi Court of Appeals. Both the Prosecutor’s Office, which is seeking to increase the charges and sentence against Mzia Amaglobeli, and Amaglobeli’s lawyers, who are requesting that the verdict against …