Thursday, July 30, 2026

Seaside nightclub demolished in Batumi

TBILISI, February 11 – Authorities in Georgia’s Black Sea city of Batumi are dismantling an unauthorized structure on the city’s popular seaside boulevard, officials said on Wednesday. According to the government of the Adjara Autonomous Republic, demolition is underway on a nightclub located along the Old Boulevard waterfront. The venue, known as Soho, had reached … Read more

Saakashvili says shark selfie post causing more jail time

TBILISI, February 11 – Georgia’s former president Mikheil Saakashvili told a court on Tuesday that he expects his total prison sentence to reach 16 years as prosecutors pursue additional charges in what authorities describe as a case involving crimes against the state. “I expect another three years. I will have 16 years,” Saakashvili said during … Read more

Jailed Georgian actor awaits appeal ruling

TBILISI, February 5 – Georgia’s appeals court on Thursday heard the defense’s closing arguments in the case of Andro Chichinadze, a jailed actor who is also listed in the cast of an upcoming Hollywood action film starring Liam Neeson. Chichinadze is facing trial along with ten other defendants for organized group violence and convicted over … Read more

Tbilisi court hears conflicting testimony in ‘October 4’ trial

TBILISI, February 5 – A Tbilisi court on Thursday heard sharply contrasting accounts of the October 4 rally outside the presidential palace, as prosecutors, defense lawyers and witnesses clashed over what happened. Out of a total of 64 people facing criminal charges over events that day, today’s hearing involved ten defendants, including opposition politicians Paata … Read more

Court hears police and expert witnesses in ‘October 4’ trials

TBILISI, February 5 – Court proceedings linked to Georgia’s October 4, 2025 protests continued this week, as judges heard expert testimony and reviewed evidence in several related criminal cases involving dozens of defendants. According to Interpressnews, a total of 64 people are facing criminal charges over the events of October 4, with cases divided into … Read more

Batumi tears down unauthorized buildings along historic boulevard

TBILISI, February 4 – Authorities in Batumi are dismantling unauthorized and visually unsuitable structures as part of a city cleanup drive aimed at improving the seaside city’s appearance. The Government of Adjara said the removals focus on unlicensed objects and buildings that no longer meet legal or aesthetic standards. Officials said the work will be … Read more

University merger plan sparks backlash from academics

TBILISI, February 3 – Students rallied on Monday after the government announced plans to merge two universities, a move that triggered a vigorous debate. There were protests at the first building of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU), where students opposing the proposed merger with the Georgian Technical University (GTU) demanded to attend a meeting … Read more

Police officer detained accused of taking bribes

TBILISI, January 31 – Georgia’s interior ministry has arrested a police officer on suspicion of taking a bribe in the coastal city of Batumi, authorities said on Saturday. The General Inspectorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia said the suspect was detained under a court order on charges of accepting a bribe. According … Read more

OSCE deploys rare ‘Moscow mechanism’ against Georgia

TBILISI, January 30 – Twenty-four member states of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe have activated the so-called ‘Moscow Mechanism’ to examine the human rights situation in Georgia, triggering one of the OSCE’s most serious monitoring procedures. The decision will lead to the deployment of an independent expert mission tasked with assessing recent … Read more

Students rally as Georgia plans to merge two universities

TBILISI, January 30 – Georgia’s government has announced plans to merge the country’s flagship Tbilisi State University with its main technical university, triggering political protests in the capital. Education Minister Givi Mikanadze said TSU and the Georgian Technical University will be combined, and the merged institution will keep the name of Tbilisi State University. He … Read more