Monday, April 20, 2026

DFWatch staff

Georgian opposition candidate for president vows to call snap election if he wins

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TBILISI, DFWatch–The opposition candidate in Georgia’s run-off election for president pledges to eliminate the ‘political police’ if he wins. Grigol Vashadze from the National Movement also promised to release everyone from prison who is serving time for use or possession of soft drugs and to call a snap parliamentary election. “The first thing we should … Read more

South Ossetia celebrated 100 years since Komsomol's founding

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TBILISI, DFWatch–South Ossetia on Saturday celebrated the 100th anniversary of the founding of Komsomol, the infamous political youth organization during the Soviet Union. Central in the celebrations were various events with participation by school pupils dressed in pioneer uniforms including the classic red scarves. Vladimir Lenin All-Union Pioneer Organization was the children’s political agency for … Read more

Four UNM activists hospitalized after party office in Akhalkalaki attacked by GD supporters

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TBILISI, DFWatch–Four opposition activists were hospitalized Tuesday after supporters of the ruling GD party burst into a local branch office of the UNM in the predominantly ethnic Armenian town Akhalkalaki. Among the attackers were the brother of a member of parliament for GD, UNM claims. One of the hospitalized UNM members sustained relatively serious injuries … Read more

Exit polls differ wildly after Georgia's presidential election, opposition preparing protest to 'defend votes'

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TBILISI, DFWatch–Exit poll after Georgia’s presidential election on Sunday show dramatically different results and all sides are bracing for a long and fierce standoff to ‘defend votes’. The situation is tense in Tbilisi and the opposition is even talking about launching a wave of protest rallies if the government ‘rigs the results’. Three companies have … Read more

Georgians go to the polls to elect a president for the last time

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TBILISI, DFWatch–On Sunday, Georgians go to the polls for the last time to elect a president. Even though the role of the president in recent years is largely ceremonial, the contest has turned into a fierce political showdown. Although the powers of the president have been gradually reduced since the split between Bidzina Ivanishvili, the … Read more

Tbilisi City Court holds second hearing in Igor Giorgadze's lawsuit against DFWatch

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TBILISI, DFWatch–Tbilisi City Court on Tuesday held its second hearing in a lawsuit filed by a former Georgian politician turned Kremlin ally against DFWatch for an article published in 2016. The claimant, Igor Giorgadze, served as Minister of State Security in 1993-1995, until he fled to Russia in the wake of the failed assassination attempt … Read more

Georgian, Ossetian athletes facilitated release of a woman from Tskhinvali jail

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Maia Otinashvili (Photo: Goga Aptsiauri, RFE/RL).

Several wrestlers and possibly other acting and retired athletes had played a key role in the release of 37 y/o Georgian woman from Tskhinvali prison, the family says, which was confirmed also by Georgia’s State Security Service (SUS).

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Illegal trade on rise due to dire economic situation, Gali residents say

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GALI, DFWatch – The loss of sources of income related to the spread of deadly brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), which has devastated locals’ orchards, urges residents of Gali to return to illegal business of smuggling goods, particularly cigarettes, from the breakaway Abkhazia to Georgia proper.

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Audio recording of ex-prosecutor details government corruption, sparks call for snap election

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TBILISI, DFWatch–A one and a half hour long secret audio recording aired by an opposition TV channel has caused an outcry in Georgia, two weeks ahead of the presidential election. The situation has gone so far that the opposition has started talking about snap elections for parliament. “In the first round [of the presidential elections] … Read more