Day: April 21, 2026

On 21 April, the international human rights organisation Amnesty International published its annual report assessing the state of human rights worldwide in 2025. The report covers 144 countries, including Georgia, and outlines documented violations, legislative changes and institutional practices.

It examines restrictions on freedom of peaceful assembly and expression, as well as the use of force, detentions and judicial processes across different countries.

Council of Europe Commissioner: ‘No one has been held accountable for dispersal of protests in Georgia’

Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Michael O’Flaherty summarised the outcomes of meetings held during his visit to Georgia.

Overall picture

Amnesty International’s report says that in 2025 a number of countries saw a rise in authoritarian practices, a shrinking of civic space and cases of force used by law enforcement. It also notes that many incidents were linked to impunity and a lack of accountability.

Georgia: legislation and protest environment

In the section on Georgia, the report describes legislative changes and their impact on public protest and civic activism. It says that, following protests that began in November 2024 over the postponement of EU accession talks and the adoption of the so-called “foreign agents” law, legal restrictions in the country were tightened.

According to the report, administrative fines were introduced in connection with protest activity, and liability was increased, including for wearing masks and blocking roads.

Detentions and law enforcement practices

Amnesty International says there were numerous detentions during the protests, including of demonstrators, journalists and opposition figures.

The organisation reports allegations of the use of force during arrests, restricted access to lawyers and lack of access to medical care. It also notes cases in which detainees appeared in court on administrative or criminal charges.

Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association files complaint with ECHR over alleged torture during 2024 protests

The organisation says the violence against demonstrators amounted to a coordinated administrative practice.

Court proceedings

According to the report, some court cases were conducted under expedited procedures, which in many instances resulted in prison sentences. The document says the charges were linked both to participation in protests and to clashes with law enforcement.

It also describes several cases in which defendants received multi-year prison terms in connection with various incidents, including allegations of violence against police.

Civil society and media

Amnesty International says that civil society organisations and independent media in Georgia operated under increased legal and administrative pressure.

The report refers to regulations imposed on organisations receiving foreign funding, as well as cases involving the freezing of bank accounts and the launch of administrative investigations.

How special forces beat protesters in Tbilisi: stories from those hospitalized

We share the stories and images of people who were brutally beaten, injured, and arrested at pro-European protests in Tbilisi

Amnesty International report on Georgia for 2025

Iran War Enters a New Phase  The Armenian Mirror-Spectator

Russia’s occupation, disinformation and ‘Western campaigns’ — new report by Georgia’s State Security Service  JAMnews

The UK authorities are preparing to announce a new package of measures aimed at accelerating the development of renewable energy and reducing dependence on fossil fuels, as global energy prices rise sharply amid tensions linked to the conflict involving Iran, AzerNEWS reports.

Threats to Georgia’s national security

State Security Service of Georgia presented its 2025 report to parliament, identifying organised disinformation campaigns as one of the main challenges.

The report names the ongoing occupation by Russia of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region (recognised by Russia as South Ossetia) as the country’s primary national security threat.

Opinion: ‘New South Caucasus — control over corridors, not territories, is becoming decisive’

In the new system, the roles of regional states are shifting: Azerbaijan is emerging as a key hub, Armenia as an adapting actor, while Georgia risks losing its agency.

Key findings of the report:

● The ongoing Russian occupation of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region is identified by Georgia’s State Security Service as the primary threat.

The current situation in these territories is described as a tool of pressure on Georgia and a potential pathway towards annexation. The report also highlights discrimination against ethnic Georgians in both regions, as well as the use of education systems as instruments of influence.

“In 2025, dozens of cases of ‘borderisation’ were recorded — fences and barbed wire continue to be installed along the dividing lines. Over the year, 34 Georgian citizens were detained in the Tskhinvali region and another 40 in Abkhazia. By the end of 2025, 15 individuals remained in custody, some serving long sentences,” the document states.

The report stresses that unlawful detentions continue to be used as a mechanism of pressure on the Georgian authorities amid serious human rights violations.

● The report also claims that information campaigns originating from Western countries and institutions may involve “double standards” and contribute to growing nihilism towards state institutions among certain groups.

This section is framed as part of a broader global information confrontation.

European Court finds Russia guilty of human rights violations during borderization

Human rights violations occurred during the process of ‘borderization’—the establishment of the demarcation line in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone

● State Security Service notes the activity of “disinformation and propaganda campaigns” both domestically and targeting audiences abroad.

According to the report, these campaigns are aimed at deepening societal polarisation and damaging the country’s image as a state with democratic and Western values. It adds that such processes have contributed to declining trust in state institutions and rising public discontent.

● The report places particular emphasis on the target audiences of these information campaigns.

Young people, as well as populations in regions inhabited by ethnic and religious minorities, are identified by the SSSG as key targets. The report states that narratives aimed at these groups may contribute to increased social tensions.

● The report also notes that in some cases politically motivated narratives were driven by both domestic and external actors.

According to the State Security Service, these actors seek to influence public opinion and may contribute to attempts to undermine the constitutional order and damage Georgia’s relations with its strategic partners.

‘Georgia is a frontline in global fight against dictatorships’ — Interview with Congressman Joe Wilson

In an interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Wilson says that “the Georgian people deserve genuinely free and fair elections.”

● The State Security Service says it has identified organisations, their leaders and individual actors with links to senior officials and intelligence services operating abroad.

According to the report, within the framework of the so-called information war, there were also attempts to incite conflict and nationalist sentiment in various regions of Georgia.

● The report places particular emphasis on the role of artificial intelligence.

In the SSSG’s view, technological progress — especially the development of AI — increases the likelihood of large-scale disinformation and manipulation campaigns, including the risk of fuelling ethnic and religious tensions, as well as political and socio-economic crises.

The State Security Service added that it is developing its own capabilities and studying international practice to counter these challenges.

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on Tuesday that Moscow knows how the conflict in Ukraine will end, but “won’t make any public statements about it”, AzerNEWS reports.

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