Member of the European Parliament Michael Gahler has criticized the 14-day administrative detention imposed on Georgian journalist Vakho Sanaia over Facebook posts, saying the ruling reflects Georgia’s growing authoritarian direction and warning that “Soviet Georgia” is becoming a reality.
Commenting on the Tbilisi City Court’s decision, Gahler said the case demonstrated what he described as Georgia’s movement away from European values.
“Vakho Sanaia, a journalist with Formula TV, was sentenced to 14 days in prison for a post published on Facebook. The fact that he would have received a much harsher punishment in Russia is no consolation at all. It shows which side of Europe today’s Georgia stands on: the authoritarian side. Soviet Georgia is becoming a reality,” the MEP wrote.
The statement followed a ruling by Judge Zviad Tsekvava, who sentenced Sanaia to 14 days of administrative detention in absentia over two Facebook posts published on July 10 concerning Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili and Georgian Dream MP Vladimer (Lado) Bozhadze.
The detention case came after an earlier court ruling the same day, in which Judge Tornike Kochkiani fined Sanaia GEL 6,000 over Facebook posts considered insulting to public officials. Following that decision, Sanaia published further posts criticizing the ruling and stating that he would not pay the fine. The court later opened a separate administrative case over those posts.
Sanaia has previously been fined GEL 4,000 under legislation targeting insults against public officials and has repeatedly said he does not intend to pay the penalties imposed on him.
The journalist’s case is part of a wider wave of administrative proceedings against individuals over online statements following the expansion of Georgia’s legislation on offensive speech.
In another recent case, activist Badri Shubladze was fined GEL 2,000 by the same judge, Zviad Tsekvava, for insulting Archpriest Andria Jagmaidze, head of the Public Relations Service of the Georgian Patriarchate, in a Facebook comment.
Shubladze said the case related to a post in which he used derogatory language against Jagmaidze while criticizing the wealth of members of the clergy.
“I do not think I insulted Jagmaidze. The pig is more insulted by being mentioned alongside Jagmaidze. A member of the clergy should not be a millionaire and own enormous wealth,” Shubladze said after the ruling.
He also criticized the requirement to pay the fine within one week, saying it was unrealistic for a pensioner receiving GEL 500 per month.
The case against Shubladze was initiated by the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Hate Speech Combat Unit, a newly established department tasked with monitoring what authorities describe as hate speech, offensive campaigns, and aggressive communication online.
The unit was launched after the Interior Ministry announced plans on May 18 to create a mechanism to investigate offensive and hateful online content.
Vice Prime Minister and State Minister for Coordination of Law Enforcement Agencies Mamuka Mdinaradze said that offensive social media posts had decreased since the department began operating, arguing that legal consequences were necessary to prevent abusive communication from becoming normalized.
Critics of the ruling Georgian Dream party, however, have raised concerns that the new enforcement mechanisms could be used to restrict freedom of expression and target government opponents under the justification of combating hate speech.
The latest court decisions have intensified debate over the balance between regulating online abuse and protecting freedom of speech in Georgia.
By Team GT
