Majority MP defends ruling GD's legal actions against autors of 'insulting' social media posts

Levan Makhashvili, Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s Committee on European Integration, has defended the Georgian Dream party’s recent legal actions against journalists, opposition politicians, and civil society figures, claiming the government is responding to a “foreign-funded campaign of hate speech.”

“For months, we’ve been observing a hate speech campaign being coordinated, funded, and supported from abroad. We have no choice but to respond accordingly,” Makhashvili said on Friday.

According to the MP, the issue goes beyond legitimate criticism and instead involves “direct verbal abuse, curses, and hateful language” aimed at public officials. “When such a large-scale hate campaign emerges, we are forced to react with appropriate legal measures,” he added.

The remarks come amid growing controversy over the Interior Ministry’s decision to summon multiple public figures to Tbilisi City Court for their Facebook posts. The individuals, including journalists, opposition politicians and activists, report they are being fined for allegedly “insulting” members of the ruling party online.

The Georgian Dream parliamentary faction has already filed official complaints with the Ministry of Internal Affairs citing specific Facebook posts as administrative violations.