TBILISI, October 19 – A well-known Georgian journalist and TV anchor, Vakho Sanaia, was detained by police in central Tbilisi on Sunday, his employer Formula TV reported. A Video circulating on social media showed Sanaia entering a police car, with bystanders filming. Formula said the journalist was detained for allegedly blocking Rustaveli Avenue, where opposition … Read more
TBILISI, October 16 – Georgia’s diplomatic rift with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) widened on Thursday after the government fined Elina Valtonen, Finland’s foreign minister and current OSCE chair, for joining an anti-government protest during her recent visit to Tbilisi. The Interior Ministry confirmed to Interpressnews that Valtonen was fined 5,000 … Read more
TBILISI, October 15 – Georgia’s parliament opened debate Wednesday on a government-backed bill that would sharply increase penalties for unauthorized protests, introducing the harshest restrictions on street demonstrations in years. The proposal is part of a set of three legislative packages now being reviewed under an accelerated procedure. Under the new draft, people taking part … Read more
TBILISI, October 14 – Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Tuesday defended the government’s controversial new legislation aimed at curbing unapproved street protests and warned against what he called “radical” opposition forces. Kobakhidze said the government is finalizing a constitutional lawsuit that will target political parties he accused of “destructive” activity. “Our country needs calm … Read more
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
TBILISI, September 23 – Demonstrators returned to Rustaveli Avenue in central Tbilisi on Tuesday, marking 300 days of continuous protests since refusing to accept the result of the 2024 parliamentary election, which showed victory for the ruling Georgian Dream. The 300th protest march began at the 300 Aragvians Memorial, a site named after Georgian soldiers … Read more
TBILISI, September 23 – A Georgian journalist facing trial has been nominated for the European Parliament’s top human rights award. Mzia Amaghlobeli, founder of the independent news outlets Netgazeti and Batumelebi, was put forward for the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought at a joint session of the European Parliament’s foreign affairs and development committees, … Read more
TBILISI, September 22 – Political analyst Irakli Melashvili says Georgia’s political scene has reached a dangerous stalemate, where dialogue between government and opposition is no longer possible. In a wide-ranging interview with Interpressnews, he painted a grim picture of a society radicalized by years of divisive rhetoric. “The main feature of political life in Georgia … Read more
TBILISI, September 20 – Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs has confirmed the release of a teenager who was arrested during a rally in Tbilisi on September 15 for allegedly displaying a gun. The ministry said forensic experts determined that the object seized was not a real firearm. Police had initially reported that a person born … Read more
TBILISI, September 9 – Tensions are rising in Georgia’s capital as protesters march through Tbilisi’s streets targeting the campaign headquarters of mayor and ruling party candidate Kakha Kaladze, where a mob violently attacked protesters yesterday. Crowds gathered near the Philharmonic building before moving to Melikishvili Street, where they dismantled metal barricades and blocked the entrance … Read more