Monday, October 12, 2026

Heroes and hype in Georgia’s protest politics

The international media’s portrayal of Georgia’s opposition is starting to look more like myth-making than reporting. Mundane acts of defiance are routinely spun as proof of government repression. Take the case of journalist and media founder Mzia Amaghlobeli, now feted as a symbol of free speech. She has been nominated for the EU’s prestigious Sakharov … Read more

Why are Georgian activist trials ending in acquittals?

When a Tbilisi court cleared 22-year-old Tedo Abramov of serious drug charges, it was the second high‑profile acquittal this month tied to Georgia’s protest wave since late 2024. A little over a week ago, doctor-activist Giorgi Akhobadze was also acquitted; he, too, for drug crime. Activists celebrated. Then came the afterthought: if, as many among … Read more

Five tricks Tbilisi NGOs got away with – but not anymore

News platforms by donor-funded non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have been among the most influential sources for shaping how Georgia’s politics are understood abroad. Here are their five biggest tricks that wouldn’t be possible today. Their stories travel far and get picked up by international outlets and policymakers. But some of those stories haven’t always stood up … Read more

Yet here we are

When a government-friendly TV channel recently reported that German Ambassador Peter Fischer’s spacious apartment in downtown Tbilisi belongs to the wife of a leading opposition politician, that was obviously a story. A diplomat’s potential conflict of interest in the host country’s domestic political wranglings? That is exactly the kind of thing that stirs a journalist’s … Read more