Repression in Numbers

Georgian Dream authorities responded with repression to the wave of protests that erupted after the October 26, 2024, elections and the ruling party’s subsequent announcement about halting EU integration. The crackdown has involved arrests, prosecutions, restrictive legislation targeting NGOs, media, and opposition groups, purges in the civil service, and unpunished physical violence by police and party-linked thugs.

Below we have compiled key figures on the continuing repression, based on Civil.ge’s calculations, official data, and statistics from civic initiatives. The figures will be regularly updated as the situation evolves, new circumstances arise, and more data become available.

1. Arrests and Trials

Over 60 people are currently regarded as political prisoners by civic initiatives. These include more than 40 individuals detained on criminal charges in the context of protests since last November, 8 opposition figures jailed for boycotting the Georgian Dream–led parliamentary commission, 9 persons arrested during the spring protest movement against the “foreign agents” law, as well as other groups whose detentions are widely considered politically motivated.

The breakdown:

At least 48 persons were detained in the context of pro-EU, anti-Georgian Dream protests since November 2024 on criminal charges, 14 of which have already been sentenced to jail, 2 were acquitted and released, 4 more were found guilty but released with fines, while 28 await their verdicts. Specifically:

• 14 of 48 who have been handed jail sentences, include Archil Museliantsi, Davit Khomeriki, Anatoli Gigauri, Temur Zasokhashvili, Davit Lomidze, Mzia Amaghlobeli, Anri Kakabadze, Anri Kvaratskhelia, Saba Jikia, Giorgi Mindadze, Mate Devidze, Denis Kulanin, Daniel Mumladze, and Guram Khutashvili.
• 4 persons – Mamuka Jorbenadze, Guram Mikeladze, Davit Gvianidze, and Giorgi Davitadze – were found guilty of group violence but released with fines, having spent two months in pre-trial custody.
• 2 individuals were detained on drug charges linked to activism but were acquitted, including  Tedo Abramovi and Giorgi Akhobadze.
• 4 persons – Nika Katsia, Anton Chechin, Anastasia Zinovkina, and Artem Gribul – await their verdicts on serious drug charges linked to their activism.
• 21 detainees await verdicts in three group violence trials, among them two groups on organized violence charges, including the case of 8 detainees (Zviad Tsetskhladze, Vepkhia Kasradze, Vasil Kadzelashvili, Giorgi Gorgadze, Irakli Miminoshvili, Insaf Aliev, Tornike Goshadze, and Nikoloz Javakhishvili), and the the case of 11 detainees (Andro Chichinadze, Onise Tskhadadze, Guram Mirtskhulava, Luka Jabua, Jano Archaia, Ruslan Sivakov, Revaz Kiknadze, Giorgi Terashvili, Valeri Tetrashvili, Sergei Sivakov, Irakli Kerashvili). A new group violence emerged in August involving 2 detainees – Mindia Shervashidze and Tornike Toshkhua.
• Three more are tried on individual charges, including Saba Skhvitaridze (reclassified to “intentional minor bodily harm”), Nino Datashvili (assault on officer), and Zviad Ratiani (assault on police).
• 4 out of the above-listed 48 detainees are Russian citizens: Artem Gribul, Anastasia Zinovkina, Anton Chechin, and Denis Kulanin. 2 more detainees are Ukrainian citizens: Ruslan Sivakov and Sergey Kukharchuk.

9 political figures are currently in jail after having been detained in recent months, including:

• 8 persons – Irakli Okruashvili, Nika Gvaramia,  Nika Melia, Givi Targamadze, Giorgi Vashadze, Mamuka Khazaradze, Badri Japaradze, and Zurab Japaridze have been sentenced to months in jail over boycotting the “Tsulukiani Commission,” an investigative body in Georgian Dream’s one-party parliament. 6 of the “Tsulukiani Commission” convicts are active leaders of opposition parties.
• United National Movement member Lasha Tsanava was recently detained on fraud allegations.

1 politician – ex-Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia – remains abroad as he faces two separate criminal probes over his 2019 actions as interior minister.

4 protesting miners in Chiatura – Giorgi Neparidze, Merab Saralidze, Tengiz Gvelesiani, and Archil Chumburidze – remain in pre-trial custody after being detained on group violence charges.

3 business figures – Irakli Papiashvili, Giorgi Chikvaidze, and Giorgi Bachiashvili – have been convicted on financial crimes, all alleging political motives and personal retribution from Georgian Dream founder Bidzina Ivanishvili.

9 persons remain in jail after being detained and convicted in the context of spring protests against the foreign agents law, including: Omar Okribelashvili, Saba Meparishvili, Pridon Bubuteishvili, Davit Koldari, Giorgi Kuchuashvili, Giorgi Okmelashvili, Irakli Megvinetukhutsesi, who were convicted on protest-related charges, and Ucha Abashidze and Mariam Iashvili, who were arrested in a similar context but convicted for illegally obtaining and storing secrets of private life.

2. NGO and Media Crackdown

Since November 2024, the Georgian Dream parliament has passed a number of repressive laws, cracking down on freedom of expression, press freedom, and freedom of association, among others. Here are the key numbers:

Over ten active NGOs and at least 5 initiatives in total were targeted with different inspections and probes, including:

• 8 NGOs reported in June being inspected by the Anti-Corruption Bureau, a public body, based on three laws, including Georgia’s Law on Political Associations, the Law on Grants, and the Law on Combating Corruption; They were asked to hand over confidential data. The list of organizations: The International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED), Transparency International (TI) Georgia, Sapari, Economic Policy Research Center, Civil Society Foundation, Georgia’s Future Academy, Social Justice Center, and Media Development Foundation.
• 7 NGOs (out of the above eight) reported in August receiving inspection notices from the Anti-Corruption Bureau under the Georgian version of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), demanding explanations for not registering as foreign agents and warning of criminal liability. List of organizations: The Economic Policy Research Center (EPRC), Civil Society Foundation, Sapari, Transparency International – Georgia, Media Development Foundation, International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED), and Social Justice Center;
• 7 NGOs got their accounts frozen in August under an ongoing “sabotage” criminal probe, with prosecutors alleging the NGOs helped demonstrators during the 2024 protests; List of organizations: Civil Society Foundation (CSF), the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED), the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI), Democracy Defenders, Georgian Democracy Initiative (GDI), Sapari, and the Social Justice Center (SJC);
• The bank accounts of 5 other initiatives, including solidarity funds like Nanuka’s Fund and Human Rights House that helped pay protest fines, were frozen in the same “sabotage” probe in March.

Media:

• More than 20 online media outlets are campaigning to raise funds, both individually and collectively, after FARA and amendments to the Law on Grants restricted their access to vital foreign funding.
• At least 3 media organizations – including Batumelebi/Netgazeti outlet and two broadcasters – Radio Tbilisi and Trialeti TV – said authorities seized their accounts, citing outstanding debts despite their commitments to pay.
• 2 TV channels – TV Pirveli and Formula TV, as well as Mtavari Arkhi, which went off air in 2025 over financial problems – were served with complaints from the ruling party under new broadcasting laws introducing content regulation. The state regulator found channels in violation.
• 1 TV Channel, Mtavari Arkhi, went off air in the spring, citing financial problems.
• 1 media organization, Mtavari Arkhi, currently operating online, is facing a criminal probe on alleged financial misconduct.

3. Civil Service Purges

• Between 700 and 1,000 employees were dismissed as part of what is believed to be politically motivated civil service purges since November 28, 2024, according to the assessment by Article 78 of the Constitution, and an independent union of Georgian civil servants. Many dismissals occurred as part of “reorganization” in several ministries, and followed repressive laws making it easier to dismiss public employees.

4. Violations Against Journalists

Center for Media, Information, and Social Studies (CMIS), a local media watchdog, has documented 174 violations against media workers during protests from November 28, 2024, to April 22, 2025. Including:

• 25 journalists were fined GEL 5,000 (USD 1,800) for “blocking roads” while carrying out their duties, according to CMIS.

• At least 90 journalists have faced physical assault, verbal abuse, or obstruction during the first two weeks of violent police dispersals since November 28, 2024, according to the International Press Institute (IPI) global network.

5. Fines, Detentions, Physical Violence

• Up to 400 people were detained in the initial weeks of the protests that erupted on November 28, 2024. Most were detained on administrative charges.
• Many detainees reported beatings and inhumane treatment, with the Public Defender’s report noting that 60% of 442 detainees visited by its representatives between November 28, 2024, and March 1, 2025, said they had been mistreated, with the share particularly high among those detained in the initial days of protests and during the February 2, 2025, highway rally.
• Dozens more were subjected to violence from thugs believed to be linked to the ruling party.
• Hundreds of protesters were reportedly slapped with heavy USD 1,800 fines for “blocking roads”, following December 2024 legislative changes that drastically increased the fine amount.
• At least 6 individuals were placed in administrative detention (one of them twice) on charges of ‘insulting’ officials in public spaces or on social media, while dozens of others were fined on the same grounds, following legislative changes introducing penalties for such acts.

0 police officers have been held accountable despite numerous documented abuses during the dispersals.