TI Georgia accuses ruling party of violence against independent media, intensifying repression

Transparency International (TI) Georgia released a warning on Saturday, speaking about the growing repression of journalists in Georgia, accusing the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party of intensifying its use of state institutions, particularly law enforcement and the judiciary, to silence independent media.

According to TI-Georgia’s 2025 report, dedicated to the World Press Freedom Day, 33 out of 85 documented violations against journalists this year—nearly 40%—involved unlawful detentions and disproportionate fines. The organization described these developments as “particularly dangerous,” drawing parallels to authoritarian practices in Belarus and Russia.

The report highlights a disturbing pattern of unlawful detentions, including the high-profile case of Mzia Amaglobeli, founder of Batumelebi and Netgazeti. Amaghlobeli was arrested during a pro-European protest in Batumi on January 11–12 and now faces four to seven years in prison for allegedly slapping the city’s police chief, Irakli Dgebuadze. TI-Georgia contends the charges are politically motivated, pointing to her longstanding investigative reporting on government corruption.

Other journalists targeted in recent months include Guram Murvanidze, a cameraman for Batumelebi, who spent eight days in administrative detention despite video evidence showing him performing his duties at the time of his arrest. Lasha Jioshvili, a TV Pirveli cameraman, was violently detained while returning from a protest and received two separate fines: GEL 2,500 for allegedly disobeying police and GEL 3,000 for allegedly insulting an officer in a Facebook post. Saba Sordia, a journalist with Indigo, was detained on April 6 despite clearly identifying himself as press. He was held in pre-trial detention for 48 hours and later fined GEL 2,500.

TI Georgia also criticized the growing use of administrative charges against journalists—particularly those who have been victims of police violence. For example, Sergi Baramidze, a Mtavari Arkhi cameraman, was assaulted and detained during a protest on November 19, and the court issued only a verbal warning against him. Aleksandre Keshelashvili, a Publika journalist, was found guilty of disobeying police during a protest on November 29, despite requiring facial surgery after reportedly being beaten by riot police. On February 10, Gela Mtivlishvili, founder of Mtis Ambebi, and Eka Kukhalashvili and Khvicha Vashakmadze of Kutaisi Post were each fined GEL 5,000 (approx. $ 1,824) for participating in a protest near the home of an Appeals Court judge who had refused to consider Amaghlobeli’s appeal.

The report further condemned the Ministry of Internal Affairs for fining journalists GEL 5,000 (approx. $ 1,824) for allegedly "blocking roads" while covering protests or events—a tactic TI-Georgia described as “harmful.” Over 20 such cases have been recorded since January, with some journalists fined multiple times. OC Media's Mariam Nikuradze, for instance, received four separate fines while on assignment. While proceedings are often dropped when journalists provide proof of their professional status, TI-Georgia argued that the repeated targeting has a chilling effect and promotes self-censorship.

“Amid the rise in violence against independent media and intensifying open repression, the failure to investigate crimes against journalists and the impunity of perpetrators stand out even more starkly,” the report stated.

TI Georgia warned that the GD party’s actions reflect an ongoing strategy to suppress dissent and eliminate independent journalism. Despite these pressures, the organization praised Georgia’s independent media for their resilience and commitment to public service in the face of growing authoritarianism.