DFWatch staff 
TBILISI, August 16 – A local government official in northern Georgia has been arrested after allegedly taking a cash bribe in exchange for mining rights. Investigators say the official, working in Oni municipality, demanded 1,800 lari (about USD 650) from a resident who wanted to extract peat in the area. He was detained on the … Read more
TBILISI, August 15 – Six non-governmental organizations (NGOs) say they have received another warning from the country’s Anti-Corruption Bureau accusing them of breaking Georgia’s new ‘foreign agents’ law. The legislation requires certain groups receiving funding from abroad to register in a public database. Critics liken it to similar laws in Russia, arguing it is designed … Read more
TBILISI, August 15 – A Tbilisi court has acquitted Tedo Abramov, 22, of serious drug charges in a case the opposition claims was linked to his political activity. Arrested last December, Abramov was accused of carrying more than four grams of MDMA, an offense that can mean up to 20 years in prison. Prosecutors said … Read more
TBILISI, August 15 – A pro-government movement in Georgia has urged the ruling Georgian Dream party to stage a referendum on EU membership alongside the 4 October local elections. The call, from United Neutral Georgia, frames the vote as a way for citizens to weigh in on one of the country’s most consequential foreign policy … Read more
TBILISI, August 15 – For the 260th day in a row, protesters gathered outside Georgia’s parliament on Rustaveli Avenue. Once again, the crowd spilled onto the road, with the gathering blocking traffic to make their point. The demands remain unchanged: new parliamentary elections and the release of those detained during earlier rallies.
TBILISI, August 15 – Two of Georgia’s opposition forces – Lelo for Strong Georgia and For Georgia, the party of former prime minister Giorgi Gakharia – have yet to agree on a joint candidate for Tbilisi’s October 4 mayoral election. A recent meeting between Gakharia and Lelo’s secretary general Irakli Kupradze in Berlin has fueled … Read more
TBILISI, August 15 – The man at the center of the gunning down of a businessman on Chavchavadze Avenue after a funeral in March insists he had nothing to do with it. Speaking in court Thursday, Giorgi Mikadze said he had “no involvement” in the March 2025 killing of businessman Levan Jangveladze, claiming he had … Read more
Prosecutors in Georgia have released the most detailed account yet of a high-profile contract killing in downtown Tbilisi earlier this year. The case combines business rivalries, cross-border travel, and alleged underworld ties. Investigators say brothers Giorgi and Davit Mikadze had a long-running dispute with Levan Jangveladze. Acting for themselves and others who also clashed with … Read more
TBILISI, August 13 – Police in western Georgia have arrested a woman on suspicion of murder after a fatal stabbing in the city of Zugdidi. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the incident took place on August 13 inside a private home. Investigators say a dispute broke out between two women, ending when the … Read more
TBILISI, August 13 – Foreign policy analyst Giorgi Bilanishvili considers the recent Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement “highly significant for our region’s long-term peace, stability, and development.” On August 8, Prime Minister Pashnyan and President Aliyev met in the White House and signed the Armenia–Azerbaijan peace agreement to end the 37 year long Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Bilanashvili noted … Read more