Journalist Nanuka Zhorzholiani has been arrested for three days.

The Tbilisi City Court arrested TV presenter and founder of the Nanuka Foundation, Nanuka Zhorzholiani, for three days for blocking a sidewalk during a protest.

As reported by the Caucasian Knot, in late April 2025, security forces conducted searches in the homes of TV presenter Nanuka Zhorzholiani, Human Rights Center Director Aleko Tskitishvili, and activist Mariam Bajelidze. Bajelidze reported at the time that the searches were being conducted in connection with a case of sabotage and actions against Georgian statehood. During searches of Georgian activists and representatives of charitable foundations that helped protesters pay fines, phones and laptops were confiscated.

On March 18, 2025, the accounts of the Nanuki Foundation, the Prosperity Georgia Foundation, the Tbilisi Human Rights House, the Friend 24/7 Foundation, and the Shame Foundation were frozen. All of these foundations helped protesters pay fines. The arrest was made in connection with a case under Articles 318 (sabotage) and 319 (assisting a foreign state, foreign organization, or an organization under foreign control in hostile activities) of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which carry prison sentences of 5 to 10 years and 7 to 15 years, respectively. The case was initiated based on a complaint filed with the Prosecutor General's Office by representatives of the United Neutral Georgia public movement. The Georgian authorities are trying to suppress protests in the country in various ways, Georgian analysts indicated, with the seizure of accounts of funds that helped pay fines for those detained being one such method.

Tbilisi City Court Judge David Makaradze sentenced TV presenter Nanuka Zhorzholiani to three days of administrative arrest, finding her guilty of participating in a protest outside the Georgian Parliament on December 16, 2025. Police alleged that the journalist obstructed pedestrian traffic, Pirveli TV reported today.

During the court hearing, the journalist herself stated that "on the day the amendments to the law were adopted, demonstrators, including herself, did not know where they could and could not stand."

After the trial, Zhorzholiani's lawyer, Teona Zakarashvili, stated that her punishment was unfair. In her opinion, with this decision, the judge demonstrated that he "will sign everything the Ministry of Internal Affairs demands and states."

"These hearings are formal in nature; they have nothing to do with the law, much less justice. The judge has once again clearly shown us that he will simply sign everything the Ministry of Internal Affairs demands and insists on. We intend to pursue every possible avenue, including an appeal to the Court of Appeals, and if we have the opportunity, we will also take advantage of the European Court of Human Rights, because these decisions are clearly unlawful," the lawyer stated.

According to amendments to the Law on Assemblies and Manifestations adopted by the Georgian Parliament, the restrictions previously imposed on holding rallies on roads apply to sidewalks and pedestrian streets as well. To hold a march, you must submit a notification to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and violating these requirements is punishable by arrest. Repeated violations, such as blocking a sidewalk near a government building, will result in criminal prosecution.

Protesters in Georgia have been demanding new parliamentary elections and the release of political prisoners since November 28, 2024. Security forces have violently dispersed the protests, using tear gas and water cannons, and have detained protesters. Thousands of people have been subjected to administrative prosecution during the protests. The "Caucasian Knot" has prepared a report, "The Main Thing About the Persecution of Protesters in Georgia".

Source: https://www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/423374