The Daily Beat: 19 March
On the 112th day of continuous protests, demonstrators once again blocked Rustaveli Avenue. Their demands continue to be the same: calling for new elections and the release of all individuals arrested during the protests. Additionally, students held a separate rally outside the Education Ministry before joining the protesters near the parliament on Rustaveli Avenue. For more updates on the Georgian resistance, follow our live blog.
Irakli Rukhadze, the owner of Georgia’s main pro-government mouthpiece Imedi TV, has lost his legal battle at the UK Supreme Court and has been ordered to pay more than USD 170 million in compensation for “commercial conspiracy.”
In the meantime, Irakli Rukhadze confirmed that he is interested in purchasing Radio Liberty’s Georgian office, including its brand and all assets, for the IMEDITV group. He plans to initiate talks with representatives from both the RFE/RL headquarters and its Georgian office.
The GD-elected President Mikheil Kavelashvili has appointed Manuchar Kakochashvili as a non-judge member of the High Council of Justice, replacing Salome Zurabishvili’s appointee, Kakha Tsikarishvili. Kakochashvili’s appointment is for a four-year term and follows a ruling by the Tbilisi City Court on March 12, which upheld Kakochashvili’s appeal and annulled President Zurabishvili’s earlier decree.
The Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA) stated that fines on protesters by authorities violate their rights to assembly and expression. From November 28, 2024, to March 18, 2025, fines for those accused of blocking roads totaled GEL 2 million (about USD 715,000).
The GYLA also criticized the dismissal of about 150 employees from the Ministry of Defense during an “alarming” reorganization. In a statement on March 16, the watchdog noted that many believe they were fired for political reasons after signing a petition in late November 2024, which supported Georgia’s European course and distanced themselves from the GD party’s decision to halt the EU accession process.
The Social Justice Center (SJC), a local legal civil society organization, has submitted an amicus curiae brief to the Tbilisi City Court in support of Temur Katamadze (Gaffar Yilmaz), a Turkish citizen of Georgian origin on March 17. The brief highlights Katamadze’s circumstances, “the human rights situation in Turkey”, and the “risks of torture and discrimination” he faces if expelled from Georgia.
The Venice Commission has recommended the repeal of amendments to Georgia’s electoral code, adopted by the ruling Georgian Dream party parliament in December 2024, which increase the share of the majoritarian component in local elections. In an opinion published on March 19, the Venice Commission warned that strengthening the majoritarian system “may result in the further entrenchment of the governing party’s position.”