DFWatch staff 
TBILISI, August 12 – A group of 19 journalists and camera operators who were injured during street protests in March 2023 have sued Georgia at the European Court of Human Rights. The demonstrations took place after parliament passed the first reading of the controversial foreign influence law, and saw police use force to disperse crowds. … Read more
TBILISI, August 11 – The United National Movement (UNM) will ignore a decision by authorities to change the opposition party’s ballot number. UNM lost its official ballot number – in use for decades – for the upcoming October 4 local elections, after failing to register with the Central Election Commission (CEC). UNM figure Irakli Pavlenishvili … Read more
TBILISI, August 11 – Georgia’s Justice Ministry has launched a limited-time campaign to make electronic ID cards cheaper for certain groups of citizens. The offer started today and runs until September 5. The idea is to encourage more people to get the cards in order to ensure voters lists are up to date ahead of … Read more
TBILISI, August 10 – Heavy rain has triggered landslides in the Khelvachauri municipality of western Georgia, forcing the temporary evacuation of 15 families from their homes. Local authorities said the evacuation was done for reasons of safety, as unstable ground near houses was posing a serious risk. The downpour flooded both main and local roads, … Read more
TBILISI, August 9 – Georgia’s Central Election Commission (CEC) has assigned numbers to political parties for the upcoming 4 October municipal elections. This year, 17 political groups registered to run. Five kept their existing numbers under rules allowing certain parties to retain them if they met deadlines and eligibility requirements. The rest drew new numbers … Read more
TBILISI, August 9 – A group of former public officials in Georgia marched from the Foreign Ministry to parliament today. The participants, once employed in the state’s different institutions, say they are protesting what they see as politically motivated actions against people who voice differing opinions or challenge the government’s foreign policy direction. The marchers … Read more
TBILISI, August 9 – Police in Georgia have continued carrying out raids across the country, seizing more firearms, ammunition, and drugs, and arresting 11 people. The Interior Ministry says the operations took place over the past week in Tbilisi, Imereti, Racha-Lechkhumi, and other regions, signalling an ongoing campaign to track down illegal weapons. The new … Read more
TBILISI, August 9 – An opposition party in Georgia says an abandoned airport in the village of Meria, near Ozurgeti, could help develop the country’s economy if it were brought back into operation. The party Lelo – For a Strong Georgia says the site was once meant to be restored as an international airport able … Read more
TBILISI, August 9 – Heavy rainfall in Georgia’s Black Sea coastal city of Batumi caused flooding across several neighborhoods. According to city officials, multiple streets, residential courtyards, basements, and ground-floor apartments were inundated. Municipal crews working jointly with utility companies began pumping out floodwater soon after the rain subsided. Drainage systems and sea outflow channels … Read more
TBILISI, August 8 – With local elections coming up on October 4, Merab Sepashvili, a well-known Georgian singer, is reportedly being considered as a candidate for Tbilisi mayor, as a challenger to incumbent Kakha Kaladze. Sepashvili’s possible candidacy is being mentioned among the ranks of the opposition party Lelo. Party insiders say they’re still conducting … Read more