The Center for Media, Information and Social Research published a new report revealing concerning trends in press freedom in Georgia, with 342 cases of media rights violations recorded over the past year.
The research emphasized that “from May 2024 to May 2025, 342 incidents affecting journalists and media workers were documented,” including physical violence, illegal detentions, restrictions on filming, and denial of access to public institutions.
Considerable number of these abuses coincided with turning points in politics: 67 incidents occurred on the day of the October 2024 parliamentary elections, and 169 during the pro-European protests that began on November 28.
Of the total, 112 cases involved physical assault, with 85 attacks happening during the protests alone. Filming was obstructed 77 times, nearly half of which (46) occurred during the elections.
The report also shows 13 illegal detentions, including 11 during the protests. One journalist, Mzia Amaglobeli, remains in prison. Beyond these, 34 journalists were fined for blocking roads while covering the demonstrations. Although most fines are being challenged in court, only one has been paid so far.
“In total, since November 28, 193 media representatives have been targeted with various forms of repression,” the organization warns, calling the trend a significant threat to freedom of expression ain the country.
