147 media workers have been affected in recorded incidents involving violence against journalists, obstruction of their work, and confiscation or damage of equipment since November 2024 when pro-European protests began in Georgia, according to a study by the Centre for Media, Information and Social Research (CMIS).
According to the CMIS, an organization that investigates and documents violations of media workers’ rights, since 28 November 2024, there have been 124 documented violations of media workers’ rights at pro-European rallies or in related contexts. A total of 147 journalists, photographers, and camera persons have been targeted. Among them, 24 reporters suffered multiple injuries, and physical harm, were fined, or had criminal cases launched against them. Their equipment was also damaged.
In total, 17 journalists were fined 5,000 lari each by police for allegedly “blocking the road.” On 21 March, Georgia’s Journalists’ Day, the organisation released a summary report detailing all media-related incidents over the past three months. The report notes that journalists covering protests in Tbilisi and other Georgian cities are regularly subjected to verbal abuse and physical violence. Their work is systematically obstructed, with equipment being confiscated or damaged. It also highlights a recent trend of fining media workers for allegedly “blocking roads” while reporting on protests.
On 28 November 2024, large-scale, continuous pro-European protests began in Georgia’s capital Tbilisi and across the regions. That same day, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced that Georgia would suspend its EU accession talks until 2028. The statement triggered street demonstrations, periodic strikes, and acts of civil resistance in several state institutions.
In the early days of the protests, police violently beat demonstrators. Around 500 people were detained administratively, and 50 individuals face criminal charges. Fines for protest-related violations have been tripled, restrictive laws targeting media have been introduced, and the accounts of funds used to help protesters pay fines have been frozen.
