Prisoner of conscience Archil Museliantsi speaks out on inhumane treatment in prison. In his letter, Archil describes being illegally held in a “quarantine cell”, with no hygiene measures, limited access to medical treatment, extremely unsanitary conditions and psychological pressure. He also talks about censorship and verbal abuse from the duty officers. “Everything is aimed at making you feel that you are not a human being, that you are an animal, livestock, because you broke the law and you are not a member of society. Clothing is not allowed in quarantine, they do not disinfect you, they do not let you bathe; they treat you like a number. You are not a human being; they lock you up like an object,” Archil writes. Archil Museliantsi was arrested during protests and sentenced to four years in prison for causing 534 GEL worth of damage. Photo: Publika

‘Never, as long as I live’. This is how the Mayor of Sokhumi and the Georgian National Hero Guram Gabiskiria answered to separatist militia when asked to kneel and apologise. On 27 September 1993, Guram Gabiskiria, along with Zhiuli Shartava, Raul Eshba, and other members of the Abkhaz autonomous republic government refused to leave the besieged Sokhumi. They were captured by the separatist forces, dragged outside the parliament building and murdered by the separatist militia. We remember Guram Gabiskiria and all heroes who lost their lives defending Sokhumi.

33 years ago, Sokhumi fell. On 16 September 1993, Abkhaz separatist forces violated the 27 July truce agreement, which had mandated the withdrawal of heavy weaponry, and began the offensive against the heavily underarmed Georgian forces. After 12 days of brutal combat, the city was overrun by separatists, backed by volunteers from North Caucasus and irregular forces from Russia. On 27 September, Abkhaz forces executed the Georgian leaders, who refused to leave, including Zhiuli Shartava and Sokhumi Mayor Guram Gabiskiria. Thousands of Georgians were killed trying to escape the captured city and the ethnic cleansing that followed. Ships and planes with civilians were shelled. Thousands were forced to flee through the Chuberi mountain pass into Svaneti. Hundreds died due to severe weather conditions and the lack of access to food, medical treatment or any infrastructure. As a result of the war, between 250,000 and 300,000 people became displaced. More than 15,000 civilians and military personnel were killed in battles and mass executions. Over 2000 persons are classified as missing.

On September 23, 1991, the Supreme Council of Armenia officially proclaimed the Republic of Armenia an independent state. The declaration of independence was preceded by a nationwide referendum on September 21, in which over 99% of the population voted in favour of leaving the Soviet Union. @MFAofArmenia @armenia

Former Georgian Dream PM and Ivanishvili’s ally Irakli Gharibashvili publishes a new message from prison, accusing his former teammates of “betrayal”. “The main goal and motive behind my arrest was and remains to neutralize me politically, to damage and discredit my name and reputation in the eyes of the public, and ultimately, to destroy my political future”, Gharibashvili writes on Facebook. He explains that he initially agreed to plead guilty for corruption charges due to his “twenty-year relationship with Bidzina Ivanishvili”, and was promised the suspension of the five-year sentence, but was allegedly later betrayed by his former allies. Gharibashvili was sentenced to five years in prison in January 2026 under money laundering and corruption charges. In August 2026, he was accused of accepting a particularly large bribe as part of a group, which could lead to 11 to 15 additional years in prison. Gharibashvili has denied the allegations, accusing the ruling party of pressuring him into taking the blame and calling the charges “politically motivated”.

IT specialist Giorgi Kvitsaridze, who obtained the footage of brutal violence against citizens by policemen, was sentenced to 17 years in prison. The incident occurred at a police station in Kobuleti. The footage, obtained from a policemen groupchat, was broadcast in June this year on TV Pirveli. Records show that the police was assaulting a citizen to obtain a false testimony, according to TV Pirveli. Giorgi’s mother Eter Kvitsaridze says the police “planted drugs” on her son and arrested him on drug-related charges. She states that there are at least 33 other files on Kvitsaridze’s computer with footage showcasing police brutality, including policemen burning citizens with cigarettes and stripping them. However, neither the judge, nor the persecutor were interested in investigating footage, according to her. In July, Giorgi started a hunger strike in prison.

🇬🇪Saturday is the march day. Weekly march from Avlabari metro station to the Government Chancellery. “Georgia against Ivanishvili”. Day 661 of continuous protests in Georgia.

The U.S. Congress passes the bill sanctioning Russia and Iran, named after its champion, late Senator Lindsey O. Graham. The "Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026" expands sanctions against Russia and could apply additional economic pressure on countries that purchase large quantities of energy resources from Moscow, including additional tariffs. The measures outlined in the bill may also affect countries and companies that help Russia evade sanctions. The House of Representatives backed the bill, which the Senate had already approved; the document will now be sent to U.S. President Donald Trump for his signature. Trump previously said he supported the bill's sanctions against Russia. After he signs it, the document will become law.

Former chief of the State Security Service of Georgia Grigol Liluashvili sentenced to 13 years in prison. Tbilisi City Court found Liliashvili of accepting large bribes as part of a group, based on four episodes, involving now-jailed former Deputy Economy Minister Romeo Mikautadze and other state officials. Liluashvili served as the Security Services head from 2019 to April 2025. In December 2025, he was arrested on corruption charges. He continues to deny the accusations. Grigol Liluashvili used to be one of the closest allies to Bidzina Ivanishvili and one of the most influential Georgian Dream politicians. His case is part of a series of arrests of former high-ranking officials of the party.

Gakharia — For Georgia party to be included in the banned parties list. The leader of the de facto parliament’s majority Irakli Kirtskhalia announced that the party of @GakhariaGiorgi would be included in the Georgian Dream’s Constitutional appeal to ban opposition parties in Georgia. Earlier Shalva Papuashvili announced the Constitutional Court is to consider the appeal by the end of January 2027. Due to the addition, the deadline for the process may be postponed. Gakharia — For Georgia remains the only party opposing the Georgian Dream that took up their parliamentary seats after the 2024 elections. They ended the boycott in October 2025, as 11 representatives of the party became members of the parliaments.

Five former Ministers of Defence of Georgia have been arrested to date. 1. Irakli Okruashvili: Minister of Defense in 2004–2006. 2. Giorgi Baramidze: Minister of Defense in 2004 (for about six months). 3. Bacho Akhalaia: Minister of Defense in 2009–2012. 4. Irakli Gharibashvili: Minister of Defense in 2019–2021. 5. Juansher Burchuladze: Minister of Defense in 2021–2024.

Head of the Georgian State Security Service resigns after less than 5 months in service. Gela (Geka) Geladze was appointed Head of the SSS on April 22, 2026. He is the fourth SSS chief to resign in the last 16 months. The position has not been held for longer than 7 months since the retirement of Grigol Liluashvili in spring 2025, who is currently under arrest for corruption charges. Geladze was the successor of Mamuka Mdinaradze, who recently quit politics. Mdinaradze’s departure was followed by a series of resignations. The arrests of former high-ranking officials are a clear manifestation of the political crisis within the Georgian Dream

Leader of the United National Movement Giorgi Baramidze has been detained. Representatives of the Prosecutor's Office have just entered Baramidze’s house, and the politician is being taken into custody.

Shalva Papuashvili announces opposition parties will be banned in Georgia until the end of January. Speaker of the de facto Parliament of Georgia Shalva Papuashvili commented on the application submitted to the Constitutional Court of Georgia demanding the prohibition of opposition parties the Georgian Dream considers “unconstitutional”. He added that the application is “democratically legitimate” and would be processed by the Court by the end of the 9-months period since the initial submission. In his recent remarks, Papuashvili also accused the EU of using “Russian methods” against Georgia “interfering” in the 2024 elections.

Activist and content creator Tornike Razmadze states he is being targeted by the Georgian MIA for statements criticising Russian propagandists Margarita Simonyan and Vladimir Solovyov. “It’s about a video published in August, in which I show Russian propagandists, Margarita Simonyan and Vladimir Solovyov, in one of their broadcasts, where they are laughing and talking about how Erekle II came to [them] on his knees and begged to take him under the Russian protection,” Tornike says. “F*** their mothers ‘na kolenyakh’ was my comment to this,” he adds. The Hate Speech agency of the Ministry of the Internal Affairs of Georgia released a statement regarding the administrative case against Razmadze, claiming the investigation was opened due to ‘offensive comments’ regarding the Georgian Dream PM Irakli Kobakhidze. Tornike may face a fine of 500 to 3000 GEL, or up to 20 days in administrative detention. photo: MO SE

Georgian Dream MP and the leader of the de facto Parliamentary Majority Irakli Kirtskhalia makes an anti-EU public statement. “Wherever Europe is headed today, there is no need to talk about sovereignty, because Brussels is operating using Soviet methods,” Kirtskhalia states during his appearance on UK-sanctioned Imedi TV channel. photo: Imedi News