Authorities in the Republic of Georgia are increasingly using newly adopted restrictions on public assembly to arbitrarily detain and harass peaceful demonstrators, effectively undermining the right to protest and freedom of assembly in the country. The findings underscore mounting concerns over restrictive legislation and enforcement practices that place disproportionate constraints on dissenting voices.
Amendments to Georgia’s Law on Assemblies and Manifestations adopted in December 2025 grant law enforcement sweeping discretion to regulate demonstrations not only on roadways but also on sidewalks and pedestrian areas. Under the revised legal framework, organizers must notify the Internal Affairs Ministry at least five days in advance of a protest, and police are authorized to issue binding instructions on location and timing, including on the spot during an assembly. Failure to provide timely notification or comply with police directives is treated as an administrative offense punishable by up to 15 days’ detention, with organizers facing up to 20 days; repeat violations may trigger even criminal liability.
Since the law entered into force, police have pursued dozens of cases against demonstrators for minor infractions, including standing on a sidewalk near the parliament building. In one case, a Tbilisi City Court sentenced a 35-year-old protest participant to four days’ detention on the stated ground that he allegedly obstructed pedestrian movement, despite no clear evidence that he actually impeded others. Several other protesters received similar short detentions under comparable circumstances, and more trials are expected.
Lawyers representing protesters have reported that in many proceedings authorities failed to specify whom a protester allegedly obstructed, or precisely what space must be vacated, relying instead on vague police instructions and thin evidence. In some cases, judges have referred administrative proceedings for investigative action, exposing individuals to possible criminal prosecution on largely unspecified grounds.
The police have publicly denied detaining individuals merely for peaceful assembly, asserting that those punished deliberately obstructed pedestrian movement—an allegation that is allegedly not substantiated by the evidence presented.
Georgia is bound by international human rights obligations, including the European Convention on Human Rights, which protect freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. Any restrictions on these rights must be lawful, necessary, and proportionate, with due process protections even where an offense is labelled administrative under domestic law. The rights group called on Parliament to repeal or amend provisions that unjustifiably restrict peaceful assembly and on law enforcement and courts to ensure that enforcement respects international standards.
