Dozens of Georgian Dream critics, including politicians, journalists, and activists, have been summoned to court for “insulting” the ruling party MPs on Facebook in what is feared will trigger “mass censorship” practices.
Terms like “slave”, “traitor”, “scum” or “bastard” directed at ruling party lawmakers in social media posts could now cost their authors up to GEL 4,000 (approximately USD 1,500) in fines, or up to 45 days of detention under controversial legislative amendments adopted in a rushed manner in February that made “insulting” officials an administrative offense.
“This represents an unjustified restriction of freedom of expression, creates a chilling effect, and aims to sow fear in society, so that people refrain from making critical assessments of Georgian Dream’s actions and politicians,” the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, a human rights watchdog, warned on June 12.
Those summoned were notified on the evening of June 11 to appear before the Tbilisi City Court on June 12. Their cases are being heard separately. Some believe Georgian Dream is using the summons to divert public attention to low-profile cases, as the court is expected to announce its final ruling in the criminal case of 21-year-old Mate Devidze, who was arrested in November in Tbilisi and faces up to seven years in prison for allegedly assaulting a police officer.
“I think they are trying to overshadow Mate Devidze’s hearing tomorrow,” said Nanuka Zhorzholiani, a TV personality and journalist who has also been summoned for calling GD MP Mariam Lashkhi a “slave” in a Facebook post. “There, tomorrow, the topic of the day must be Mate! Tomorrow’s focus must be on his trial.”
The most frequently named plaintiffs among the GD MPs are Mariam Lashkhi, Tea Tsulukiani, Mamuka Mdinaradze, and Nino Tsilosani. On June 6, the GD parliamentary faction announced that it was filing a complaint with the Interior Ministry regarding “insults” against them in public spaces, including on social media.
Activist Ana Subeliani, who was also among those summoned, said the case concerns her earlier Facebook post in which she referred to GD MP Nino Tsilosani as “This scum, a disgrace of a woman.” In the contested post, Subeliani shared a video in which Tsilosani tells journalist Guram Rogava of TV Formula that it was a “sad incident” that he had been attacked by police during the December protests, but “sadder” that the “incident” allowed him to ask critical questions.
Another activist, Giorgi Tumasyan, was summoned for a Facebook post in which he called MP Mariam Lashkhi a “traitor” and a “contemporary Bolshevik.” Tumasyan’s post criticized MP Lashkhi after a court sent two students to a 12-day administrative detention for confronting her in a café, with Lashkhi’s underage children present, by chanting, “Freedom for regime prisoners!” and “No to Russian regime!”
Opposition-leaning TV Pirveli anchor Ekaterine Mishveladze faces the same allegation of “insulting” MP Lashkhi by calling her a “slave” on Facebook. Another TV Pirveli anchor, Vika Bukia, as well as Vakho Sanaia and Misha Mshvildadze from opposition-leaning Formula TV, have also been summoned. Dea Mamiseishvili, a journalist, says she has also been summoned for “insulting” MP Mamuka Mdinaradze in a Facebook post, where she called him “bastard,” “scum,” and said he was “devoid of humanity.”
Some opposition leaders, including Tamar Chergoleishvili of the Federalists party, Helen Khoshtaria of Droa, Levan Khabeishvili of the United National Movement, and Aleko Elisashvili of the Citizens, have also been summoned. Some have publicly said they will not appear before the court.
The cases come as part of the ruling party’s growing legislative crackdown on critics.
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