Tuesday, January 20, 2026

EU's observers call for release of jonjoli pickers

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Jonjoli, or bladdernut, is a shrub used for cooking in Georgia. (Photo by Georgia’s Ministry of Environment Protection.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–The European Union Monitoring Mission to Georgia (EUMM) calls on South Ossetia to release all Georgians detained for picking the plant jonjoli.

Jonjoli, or bladdernut, is a shrub used for cooking in Georgia. It grows in the wild in areas adjacent

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Georgian Dream claims UNM created fake party office

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Georgian Dream activists in Tskaltubo clashed with another group of campaigners who they claim are actually from the National Movement. (Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–Two groups of Georgian Dream coalition activists clashed during a campaign event Monday in Tskhaltubo, a town in western Georgia.

One faction of activists asked the government for help, claiming that the coalition has two headquarters in Tskhaltubo,

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Rustavi 2 under investigation for illegal wiretapping

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Head of Rustavi 2, Nika Gvaramia. (Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–The Prosecutor’s Office in Georgia has launched an investigation into surveillance recordings published by Rustavi 2.

The case is based on suspicion that the recordings were illegally obtained and published, which if true means that the TV company

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Georgian group calls on people to mark May 17 on the net

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The website calls on people to find creative ways to mark the International Day Against Homophobia, May 17.

TBILISI, DFWatch–A website has been created in Georgia to mark the International Day Against Homophobia, May 17.

The website is the creation of Identoba, an organization working to promote the rights of lesbians, gays and other sexual minorities.

It was Identoba

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Seven more Georgians detained on disputed SO border

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Four Georgians were released by South Ossetia, but seven more detained. This leaves nearly twenty people in detention in Tskhinvali. (Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–Russian border guards Monday detained seven more Georgians in villages bordering South Ossetia.

The same day, four Georgians were released. This leaves nearly 20 Georgians who still remain in detention in Tskhinvali.

The seven Georgians were detained

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François Hollande arrives in Tbilisi on Tuesday

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Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili (left) and French President François Hollande. (Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–French President François Hollande arrives in Georgia on Tuesday as part of his tour of the South Caucasus.

Hollande’s trip takes place amid a crisis in Ukraine and is aimed at boosting the EU’s ties with the region, the French news agency AFP

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Five Georgians released by South Ossetia

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Five out of eighteen Georgians detained in South Ossetia were released on Saturday. (Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–South Ossetia on Saturday released five out of 18 Georgians detained for allegedly crossing the disputed border.

18 Georgians have been detained by Russian soldiers in the last two weeks in villages on the disputed border.

According to the five 

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NDI poll shows patriarch remains most liked in Georgia

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Patriarch Ilia II (seated, left) remains highly liked in Georgia, while former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili has had a drop in popularity. (Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–A new poll published by National Democratic Institute (NDI) shows that Patriarch Ilia II remains the most liked person in Georgia.

96 percent of those asked say the like the patriarch. 61 percent say they like Davit Usupashvili, Speaker of Parliament;

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