Activist links home search to Georgia protests

Digital marketing specialist and activist Dodi Kharkhel has claimed that a recent police search of her home was connected to her involvement in ongoing protests in Georgia against the halt of the country’s EU accession, and her online advocacy related to the demonstrations.

The search was carried out as part of an investigation into her ex-husband, military blogger Ucha Abashidze, who is accused of illegally obtaining and storing private life information.

Speaking after the search, Kharkhel said: “Everything happening in Georgia today is connected to one thing: the street protests and the reports reaching the international media. The de facto government is making illegal decisions to maintain its status.”

Kharkhel recounted being stopped by police after dropping her three-year-old daughter at kindergarten. She said officers initially restrained her and prevented her from livestreaming the encounter but changed their approach when the incident drew public attention.

“The only reason I’m not injured now is that this happened in public, in front of many cameras. Public visibility is the only protection every citizen has,” she told reporters.

During the search, which lasted several hours, police confiscated a range of digital devices, including mobile phones, laptops, and flash drives. Kharkhel criticised the operation as unnecessary, saying, “This investigation has been ongoing for months. I was even summoned as
a witness and have already given testimony.”

Footage of Kharkhel’s interaction with police was shared widely on social media. The video, posted by activist Sofi Akhobadze, shows around 10 officers questioning Kharkhel before escorting her to a car.

In her own post, Kharkhel linked the police action to her protest activities, stating, “Russian dream, Russian terror, just because I stand at the rallies”.