The Daily Beat: 17 March

Demonstrators have once again gathered on Rustaveli Avenue, blocking the roadway as anti-regime, pro-EU protests continue for their 110th day. The protesters, assembled in front of the parliament, remain resolute in their demands for new elections and the immediate release of individuals detained during previous rallies. Another demonstration took place near the public broadcaster which later joined the rally near the parliament. For more updates on the Georgia resistance, follow our live blog.

Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili was sentenced to four years and six months in prison for illegally crossing the state border, as Tbilisi City Court Judge Mikheil Jinjolia ruled on March 17. This came shortly after he was given a nine-year sentence for misusing 9 million GEL from the state budget in a separate case. According to this latest ruling, Saakashvili will remain imprisoned until April 1, 2034.

Nanuka’s Fund, managed by journalist Nanuka Zhorzholiani, Prosperity Georgia, run by former Prime Minister and currently businessman Nika Gilauri, and Human Rights House Tbilisi have been frozen. The three public funds have been providing financial assistance to people fined during the ongoing anti-regime protests or dismissed from their jobs due to their civic activism.

Archil Gorduladze, the chairman of the Legal Issues Committee in the GD parliament claimed that the recent amendments to the country’s Law on Broadcasting will also apply to online media. The ruling party adopted these amendments in the first reading on March 4. Later that day, Mamuka Mdinaradze, the GD parliamentary leader, clarified that the new law’s provisions would only cover the websites and social media platforms of broadcasters and not the online media.

The ruling GD party also intends to limit media access to court hearings. A legislative proposal that would prohibit photo and video recording during criminal hearings has been referred to the Legal Affairs Committee of the GD Parliament. This initiative comes at a time when trials of detainees from pro-EU protests are ongoing. These detainees claim they are being persecuted for political reasons and have been using their court hearings to communicate with the public.

On March 17, the Social Justice Center (SJC) filed an Amicus Curiae with the Batumi City Court on the case of Mzia Amaghlobeli, director of the Netgazeti/Batumelebi publication. It aims to guide the court in fairly assessing the case, questioning the criminal qualification of Amaglobeli’s actions, emphasizing her actions were provoked by police misconduct, and highlighting the broader implications for media freedom and fair legal practices.

Last week, we overlooked mentioning the official registration of the pro-Western liberal party, “Federalists,” which held its constituent assembly in early February. According to the party announcement, “now the party is officially established.” Giga Bokeria, the former Secretary of the National Security Council, has been elected as the party chairman, while his wife, Tamara Chergoleishvili, will lead the party’s Tbilisi branch.