Sunday, June 21, 2026

DFWatch staff

Georgia's Public Defender says representatives are threatened by Soviet-style inmate leaders

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TBILISI, DFWatch–Penitentiary authorities in Georgia have unleashed “prisoners managed by the administration” to systematically carry out “verbal attacks, threats and aggression” against representatives of the Public Defender’s Office, Ombudswoman Nino Lomjaria said on Wednesday. The PDO earlier released a report claiming the management model of semi-open prisons was based on an informal hierarchy of prisoners, … Read more

Georgian opposition party Citizens to break off parliament boycott if government promises election reform

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TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian opposition’s boycott of parliament after the October 31 election is in doubt, after one of the parties indicated they will break off the boycott. Aleko Elisashvili, leader of the  Citizens party, said Wednesday that he will announce the party’s decision to take up their two seats in parliament in a few days. … Read more

Georgia to lift some Covid-19 restrictions after drop in number of infections

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TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia plans to gradually lift Covid-19 related restrictions as the most recent statistics show a reduction both in new cases and the number of deaths, the country’s chief epidemiologist Amiran Gamkrelidze said on Monday.  This process will be accompanied by an increase in the total number of tests and the start of vaccinations in … Read more

42-year-old Irakli Kobakhidze takes over reins of Georgia's ruling party as billionaire founder steps down

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TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s ruling party on Saturday elected former party secretary Irakli Kobakhidze as new chairman, after its billionaire founder stepped down.  The choice of a new leader and new composition of the political council at the party convention are important developments for the party that came to power in 2012 and secured election in 2016 … Read more

Novosibirsk Opera terminates contract with wife of former leader of Georgian opposition party UNM

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TBILISI, DFWatch–A Russian theater in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, which was supposed to be headed by the wife of a prominent Georgian opposition politician, has terminated its contract with her. Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theater said the decision was provoked by the fact that former Bolshoi prima ballerina Nino Ananiashvili made a premature public … Read more

Georgia shuts down again due to Covid-19, brings back nightly curfew

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TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia on Sunday re-introduced strict Covid-19 restrictions that will last until January 15. The rationale behind the measures adopted by the government in November was to reduce people’s mobility amid a worrying rise in the number of cases, which were well above 4,000 new cases a day during that month and continued growing. After … Read more

Georgia's main electricity provider announces price hike in midst of pandemic

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TBILISI, DFWatch–At the end of a difficult year with families struggling to get through a pandemic, Georgia’s largest electricity provider announced a price hike that risks causing major discontent. On Monday, the CEO of Energo-Pro Georgia, which in 2016 controlled 62% of the country’s energy distribution, said an increase in electricity tariffs was inevitable. “The … Read more

Georgia's ruling party softens stance on two controversial bills severely limiting oppposition parties

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TBILISI, DFWatch–Facing growing criticism from the West, Georgian Dream seems to soften its strict stance towards the opposition. Although parliament on Wednesday adopted a bill at the first reading that strips all opposition parties of their state funding, GD said it would send the controversial bill for review either to the Venice Commission, a Council … Read more