Transparency International: Eleven Journalists Detained in Georgia Under New Legislation
By Liza Mchedlidze
Tuesday, October 28, 2025
Transparency International Georgia has reported a new wave of detentions targeting journalists and media workers, saying the arrests reflect an increasingly repressive environment for the press under the ruling Georgian Dream party.
According to the organization, 11 media representatives have been detained under administrative procedures in the past 10 days, while one journalist was unlawfully held for about an hour. The group linked the arrests to recently adopted legislation that it says "restricts the right to peaceful assembly and suppresses dissent."
"Based on the repressive legislation adopted by Georgian Dream, which effectively prohibits citizens' free assembly and violates the fundamental right to protest, in the last 10 days, 11 representatives of independent, critical media have been detained under administrative procedures, and one journalist had their freedom unlawfully restricted for a short period," Transparency International said in a statement. The group added that around 25 similar cases have been recorded over the past year.
The organization condemned what it called "mass persecution and detention of independent media representatives," describing the arrests as part of a "broader policy of repression against critical voices" and "another step toward suppressing freedom of speech."
Those detained include several prominent journalists from TV Formula: anchor and reporter Vako Sanaia (six days of administrative detention), anchor Keta Tsitskishvili (five days), and social media manager Tsira Zhvania (ten days). Others include Irakli Tsulaia (eight days), Lika Basilaya-Shavgulidze (five days), Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Sadigov (fourteen days), and former Public Broadcaster anchor Vasil Ivanov-Chikovan (seven days).
TV Formula's director Giorgi Liponava and editor Zviad Kvaratskhelia each received three-day sentences, while camera operator Nika Pataraia was detained for four days. Journalist Maiko Bokeria was fined 5,000 GEL and released; she had been detained together with her husband, Ivanov-Chikovan.
Transparency International also reported that on October 24, police officers briefly detained Basti Mgaloblishvili, a journalist from the online outlet Publika. His freedom was restricted for roughly one hour before police released him, claiming it had been a case of mistaken identity.
The organization urged authorities to end what it described as politically motivated actions against journalists and to respect constitutional rights to free expression and peaceful assembly.
