Tbilisi, Georgia — For nearly a year, Gota Chanturia, a civics teacher and member of the Movement for Social Democracy, has joined almost daily protests at Georgia’s parliament against the government’s growing authoritarianism. Despite $102,000 in fines, arrests, and police violence, he continues to demonstrate, highlighting the escalating repression in the country.
The protests began after the ruling Georgian Dream party halted EU accession talks following elections alleged to be rigged. Authorities have since targeted protesters, journalists, opposition politicians, NGOs, and rights activists through detentions, criminal charges, steep fines, and surveillance measures.
Key points of the crackdown:
- Over 400 arrests in a two-week crackdown in November 2024; at least 300 protesters reported beatings (Amnesty International).
- 76 criminal prosecutions of demonstrators between April 2024 and August 2025; more than 60 imprisoned (Transparency International Georgia).
- Automated fines using facial recognition issued to protesters and journalists, sometimes for merely being near demonstrations.
- Opposition leaders jailed; NGO accounts frozen; lawsuits against independent media; legislation targeting “foreign agents.”
Human Rights Watch calls the situation a “rights crisis”, warning of a dangerous drift toward authoritarianism. Civil society groups remain defiant, demanding democratic freedoms and the restoration of EU accession talks. The European Union has urged Georgia to reverse democratic backsliding and consider resuming accession negotiations if credible reforms are enacted.
