The former defence minister of Georgia, Bacho Akhalaia, was given imprisonment as a preventive measure.

“You cannot suppress the truth, you cannot extinguish the light” — a march in support of the media was held. Earlier, a New Year’s flea market, auction, and various activities were held for the same cause. #GeorgiaProtests Day 395

#GeorgiaProtests Day 395

1/ Female politicians filed a statement with the prosecutor’s office demanding Eva Shashiashvili’s release. Prosecutor Vazha Todua later met with them. #TerrorinGeorgia

1/ According to the State Security Service of Georgia (SSG), former Defence Minister Bacho Akhalaia was arrested today. The agency claims that Akhalaia was the “main organiser” of the 4 October rally.

1/ Journalist and civil activist Tamar Mearakishvili has been placed in two months of pre-trial detention by a court operating under the Tskhinvali occupation regime.

1/ Protest participant Zurab Menteshashvili, who was arrested under criminal law on charges of blocking a road during a protest, has been on a hunger strike for 54 days. #TerrorinGeorgia #GeorgiaProtests

Another law restricting protests took effect on Dec 12, banning protests on sidewalks without prior notice to the MIA - "protesters must not obstruct movement of others". Already 8 people report being scheduled for court proceedings for standing on the sidewalk during a protest. #TerrorinGeorgia

1/ In the occupied Tskhinvali region, civil activist Tamar Mearakishvili has been detained. She is accused of espionage under Article 276 of the Russian Criminal Code and faces a prison sentence of between 10 and 20 years.

A photo from yesterday’s protest in Tbilisi. #GeorgiaProtests Day 390 📷 Mindia Gabadze/Publika

The Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia has arrested Grigol Liluashvili, the former head of the State Security Service of Georgia, on charges of bribery.

GD imposes further restrictions on protests in Georgia. The MIA of Georgia has set the form, time, and location of rallies (Dec 21–31): protests limited to Parliament stairs/surroundings from 19:00–00:00. Marches banned; blocking sidewalks or roads prohibited. #GeorgiaProtests

1/ Georgian NGOs have appealed to the Director-General of the OPCW, UN Special Rapporteurs, and the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights over alleged human rights abuses, including the use of chemical and experimental crowd-control agents against protesters in Georgia.

Protesters unfurled a banner reading “with poison” on Freedom Square, covering Tbilisi City Hall’s New Year’s slogan, “A city full of kindness.” #GeorgiaProtests Day 388

Zurab Girchi Japaridze, who was released from a seven-month imprisonment this morning, attended a protest on Rustaveli Avenue in the evening. #GeorgiaProtests Day 387

1/ Georgian Dream’s Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili compared the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to Russia’s “Red Army,” saying that in 1921, Russia justified the occupation of Georgia for the same reason Kaja Kallas is now invoking.

Zura Japaridze @Zuraja hugging his family after his release today, following seven months in prison. He was jailed for refusing to appear before GD’s so-called parliamentary commission on ‘UNM’s crimes. #TerrorinGeorgia

After seven months of confinement, one of the leaders of Coalition 4 Georgia, Zurab Girchi Japaridze is free. 📸 Ana Kurashvili #TerrorinGeorgia

1/ 65 leading professors from top universities worldwide urge Georgian Dream PM Irakli Kobakhidze to reconsider Georgia’s National Reform Concept for Higher Education. Letter dated Dec 15;

1/ In Brussels, ahead of the start of the EU summit, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, in response to a question from Euroscope about what kind of support the Georgian people should expect, stated:

#GeorgiaProtests Day 385

The law adopted by GD requires protesters to notify the police 5 days in advance if protesting on pavements. Police claimed permission was required and declared the protest illegal. But under the Constitution of Georgia, everyone has the right to assemble without any permit.

Protesters on Rustaveli Avenue today, December 17. Georgian Dream adopted a new law that prohibits “blocking sidewalks.” Police officers are warning protesters to “free the pavement.” #GeorgiaProtests Day 385

1/ According to Georgia’s MFA, Georgian Dream's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maka Bochorishvili, will take part in a diplomatic conference in The Hague held under the auspices of the Council of Europe, which establishes an International Claims Commission for Ukraine.

Archimandrite Dorothe Kurashvili has been actively participating in protests, condemning violence, supporting their demands, and organizing religious services on Rustaveli Avenue. Today, the Georgian Patriarchate suspended his right to serve as a priest. #GeorgiaProtests

STOP HUMAN SAFARI/SAVE KHERSON 🇺🇦 A protest against Russia’s war crimes was held in Tbilisi. This global campaign is taking place in 40+ cities on Dec 13–15, exposing Russia’s use of small commercial drones to target civilians in Ukraine. #GeorgiaProtests Day 382 Video: Levan Zazadze

🏆 Publika journalists Natia Amiranashvili and @mindiagabadze.bsky.social Gabadze won a prize from the Georgian Journalistic Charter of Ethics. Natia’s article focused on false witnesses in the court cases of political prisoners. Mindia’s work was a photo reportage from court hearings.

Georgia continues to protest. Footage from yesterday’s march. Day 381. #GeorgiaProtests

Few messages from today’s protest #GeorgiaProtsests Day 380

“The City Full of Terror,” “The City Full of Corruption” — banners with these phrases were among several displayed by protesters near the site where Kakha Kaladze held a Christmas Tree Lighting event. Meanwhile, Kaladze’s slogan for 2026 is “The City Full of Kindness.” #GeorgiaProtests Day 380

1/ Georgian Dream Parliament has approved, in the third reading, a bill that paves the way for creating a unified information database of individuals with mental health disorders, as well as those diagnosed with alcoholism, drug addiction or substance abuse.

Photos from yesterday's protest march. #GeorgiaProtests Day 379 📷 Mariam Qavshbaia/Publika

Irakli Kobakhidze is in Turkmenistan, attending the Peace Forum. Vladimir Putin is also there. Meanwhile, Georgian Dream criticizes the EU on a daily basis.

1/ The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights has delivered its judgment in the case concerning 26 Georgian citizens who were harmed during the dispersal of the 20–21 June 2019 protest.

Today, on December 10, GD adopted a law that effectively prohibits marching on sidewalks in protest without permission. It has not yet been signed by GD President Mikheil Kavelashvili. #GeorgiaProtests Day 378

1/ Demonstrators are holding a protest march on Rustaveli Avenue, on the sidewalk. After the GD approves the new bill, a 5-day advance notice to the Ministry of Internal Affairs will be required for this.  #GeorgiaProtests day 376

1/ Update: The bill has now been published. Under a new bill GD may approve this week, protest organizers must give the Ministry of Internal Affairs 5 days' notice to hold rallies on public roads. A protest in Tbilisi has been ongoing for 375 days.

1/ GD plans to further tighten legislation regarding protests. In particular, it will be necessary to notify a state body in order to hold a protest “in places of public movement.”

#GeorgiaProtests Day 374

"The regime is poisoning us; an international investigation should be conducted." - On the 374th day of the protest, demonstrators are demanding an investigation to determine which chemical compounds GD used to disperse the rallies in November–December 2024. #GeorgiaProtests

1/ "The regime is poisoning us with chemical weapons" – stencils with this inscription have appeared on the streets of Tbilisi. #TerrorinGeorgia

1/ The bipartisan U.S. Helsinki Commission responds to the possible use of a toxic substance alongside water cannons during last year’s protests in Tbilisi, Georgia:

Georgia continues to protest. Day 371 #GeorgiaProtests

1/ Irakli Kobakhidze confirms that a certain substance was used in the water cannon deployed to disperse citizens during the protest rallies of November–December 2024. However, he denies that this substance was Camite. According to him, “the key question is whether this substance was prohibited.”

The SSG has summoned everyone who appeared in the BBC investigation on the use of Camite against protesters during the 2024 Tbilisi protests. Among them is Zviad Maisashvili, a young man brutally beaten by police, who recounts the attack in the documentary.

The State Security Service has summoned Dr. Konstantine Chakhunashvili for questioning. His research appears in the BBC investigation. “They are now coming to deliver the notice at the Tsitsishvili Clinic. I requested to be questioned before a judge,” writes Chakhunashvili.

1/ Irakli Kobakhidze said that “when you help a specific organization spread false information harmful to the state, it can be considered a crime.” #GeorgiaProtests #TerrorinGeorgia

Some footage from today’s protest march. Georgian citizens are demanding that the parliamentary elections, allegedly rigged in 2024, be rerun and that all political prisoners be released. #GeorgiaProtests Day 369

1/ Georgian Dream responded to a BBC investigation claiming that, during the November–December 2024 protests in Georgia, a toxic compound used in World War I was deployed to disperse demonstrators. The compound was reportedly mixed into water cannons.

1/ According to a BBC investigation, a toxic compound used in World War I, “camite,” was used to disperse demonstrators at protests in Georgia in November–December 2024. It was mixed with the water used in the cannons.