Friday, December 5, 2025

Pregnant British teen freed from Georgian jail

TBILISI, November 4 – A Georgian court has released 19-year-old British national Bella May Culley, who was convicted of smuggling large quantities of marijuana and hashish into the country, after she reached a plea deal with prosecutors. Culley, who is 35 weeks pregnant, was sentenced to five months and 24 days in prison, time she … Read more

Constitutional Court to decide fate of three Georgian opposition parties

TBILISI, November 4 – Georgia’s Constitutional Court has begun reviewing a petition filed by 88 members of parliament that seeks to outlaw three major opposition political parties, accusing them of acting against the country’s constitutional order. The case, announced Monday and published on the court’s official website, will be handled by the court’s First Collegium. … Read more

Swedish investor to buy Lukoil’s foreign assets after U.S. sanctions

TBILISI, November 3 – Swiss-based trading company Gunvor has agreed to purchase the foreign assets of Russian oil major Lukoil, according to Reuters via BPN. The deal comes just days after the United States imposed sweeping sanctions on Lukoil, Rosneft, and dozens of their subsidiaries. Lukoil said in a statement that it had received and … Read more

Defense accuses investigators of coercing testimony in high-profile corruption case

TBILISI, November 2 – The lawyer for Georgia’s former deputy minister of regional development and infrastructure, Koba Gabunia, has accused prosecutors of relying on witness statements allegedly made in exchange for freedom. Gabunia was arrested earlier this week on charges of abuse of power connected to a public infrastructure fund. In comments to Georgian media … Read more

Police again detain protesters at parliament in Tbilisi

TBILISI, October 30 – Police in Tbilisi detained several protesters Thursday night after demonstrators blocked traffic on Rustaveli Avenue during ongoing anti-government rallies demanding new elections. The protest began around 8pm, when demonstrators gathered in front of the parliament building where a protest camp has been standing for months. After rallying on the sidewalk, some … Read more

Former Georgian official arrested over kindergarten fraud

TBILISI, October 30 – Georgia’s former deputy minister for regional development and infrastructure, Koba Gabunia, has been arrested on charges of abuse of power and corruption. The arrest was carried out jointly by Georgia’s Investigation Service of the Ministry of Finance and the State Security Service, the ministry announced Thursday. Gabunia, who oversaw the country’s … Read more

Georgian teacher accused of attacking official released on bail

TBILISI, October 29 – Georgian teacher Nino Datashvili, who was charged with assaulting a public official, has been released from prison on bail after more than four months in custody. Datashvili walked free from Rustavi Women’s Prison No. 5 on Wednesday afternoon, greeted by a small group of supporters who had gathered outside. Visibly exhausted, … Read more

Tbilisi police chief quits after five years on duty

TBILISI, October 28 – The head of Tbilisi’s Police Department, Lasha Jokhadze, has stepped down from his post, Georgia’s Interior Ministry confirmed on Tuesday. A spokesperson told local media outlet Interpressnews that Jokhadze’s resignation was made “on his own initiative,” without providing further details. Jokhadze had led the capital’s patrol police since 2020. The last … Read more

Georgian activist faces up to seven years in prison after protest incident

TBILISI, October 25 – A Tbilisi court on Saturday ordered pre-trial detention for activist Tamar Lortkipanidze, who faces criminal charges that could carry a prison sentence of up to seven years. The Prosecutor’s Office has charged Lortkipanidze with violence and assault on a police vehicle, citing an incident that took place during protests outside Georgia’s … Read more

Boy (4) falls to his death from seventh floor balcony

TBILISI, October 22 – A four-year-old boy died after falling from the balcony of a seventh-floor apartment in Tbilisi’s northern Gldani district on Tuesday. The Ministry of Internal Affairs confirmed the tragic incident, according to a report by Interpressnews. No further details about the circumstances of the incident have been released.