The so-called “supreme court” of the Russian-occupied Ukrainian region of Donetsk has sentenced Georgian fighter Mirza Vanadze to 14 years in a “maximum-security penal colony” in absentia for fighting on Ukraine’s side “as a mercenary,” Russia’s state media reported on June 17. Citing Russia’s investigative committee, RIA Novosti said that Vanadze arrived in Ukraine in …

The “supreme court” in Russia-occupied Abkhazia sentenced Georgian national Shalva Khizanishvili to six years and nine months in a “maximum-security penal colony,” after finding him guilty of “espionage” and “illegal acquisition, possession, and carrying of firearms, ammunition, and explosive devices.” Khizanishvili, a teacher from Gali, an area in Abkhazia settled by ethnic Georgians, was detained …

Georgian law enforcement authorities arrested 21 people in another crackdwon on the criminal underworld, the so-called “thieves’ world,” Davit Kiknadze, Director of the Central Criminal Police Department of the Interior Ministry, announced at a June 17 briefing. Kiknadze said another nine individuals have been charged, some already in prison and others in absentia, including one …

UK Ambassador Gareth Ward was “invited to a meeting” at the Georgian Foreign Ministry on June 17 over the British Embassy’s brief note from previous day that the new sanctions against Russia also targeted the vessel which “accessed a Georgian port earlier this year.” According to the Foreign Ministry, Ward met with the Georgian Dream …

Georgian Dream MPs “asked” Luxembourgish officials to “raise the issue” with the European Commission regarding the “renewal of dialogue” with Tbilisi, Nikoloz Samkharadze, Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee of Georgia’s disputed Parliament, said, adding that the ruling party is “ready to discuss” what he described as “critical issues” with Brussels, including the controversial Foreign …

The State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG) has opened criminal proceedings against former Georgian Railway CEO Davit Peradze and seven other individuals over an alleged large-scale corruption scheme. Six of them were detained, while two, including Peradze, were declared wanted. The alleged criminal scheme involves, among other claims, large-scale fraud, abuse of official position, document …

Three Georgian citizens were among the 24 crew members aboard the sanctioned vessel Smyrtos, seized by British authorities in the English Channel, the Maritime Transport Agency of Georgia stated on June 15, citing confirmation from London. The statement came a day after the UK government said British armed forces intercepted the Russian “shadow fleet” vessel …

Georgian civil servants knew perfectly well that what they were doing was low-key. Rewriting a procurement regulation was never a heroic act. Harmonizing a food safety standard with a European directive drew no applause, and documentary filmmakers had perhaps something more exciting to do than point their cameras at someone sitting in their office for …

Tbilisi City Court sentenced Kakha Kotorashvili, a 49-year-old currency exchange office owner, to 11 years in prison after finding him guilty in a scheme of laundering an “unprecedented” amount of nearly 700 million U.S. dollars in 2022-2024. Judge Demetre Jinjolia delivered the verdict on June 11. Kotorashvili exercised his right to remain silent throughout the …

Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, together with a delegation of several GD ministers, visited Kyrgyzstan on June 11-12 in what he said was the first “top-level” visit between the two states. The delegation included GD Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili, Economy Minister Mariam Kvrivishvili, Agriculture Minister Levan Songulashvili, and Government Administration Head Levan Zhorzholiani. Among …

Georgian and European Union officials met in Brussels on June 11 for an “enhanced dialogue” following the suspension of the visa-free regime for Georgian holders of diplomatic, service, and official passports, with the Georgian side expressing a “positive” outlook after the meeting, while an EU official described the talks as “rather unfruitful.” The meeting, which …

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) Executive Board described Georgia’s economy as “resilient” despite elevated “global uncertainty,” including the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, expecting economic growth to remain “strong, though moderating,” at 6.5% in 2026, while projecting inflation to stay above the National Bank of Georgia’s (NBG) target until mid-2027. In a June 10 …

Another 14 defendants charged in connection with the October 4, 2025, tensions were released on June 10 after the Tbilisi City Court approved their plea agreements with prosecutors, bringing the number of those who entered similar deals in election-day unrest trials to 22. Twenty-one of them walked free from courtrooms after months in pre-trial custody, …

Georgia’s Interior Ministry said on June 10 that it had arrested 119 individuals on drug-related charges, including 49 suspected drug dealers, during a nationwide operation conducted over the previous 48 hours. The detainees include both Georgian and foreign nationals and face up to 20 years in prison or life imprisonment. Announcing the operation, Tbilisi Police …

The State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG) said on June 9 that a Georgian citizen illegally detained by Russian occupation forces in the vicinity of the Sachkhere municipality has been released and is now in Tbilisi-controlled territory. While the SSSG did not disclose the individual’s identity, in line with its recent practice, the RES news …

Georgia’s disputed Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili signed amendments on June 8, tightening parliamentary accreditation rules for journalists and media outlets, with the Georgian Dream-dominated legislature saying the changes were developed “based on the example of rules established for media representatives in the European Parliament.” The new rules introduce the possibility of early revocation of accreditation …

Journalist Afgan Sadigov, who was deported by Georgia to Azerbaijan in April, has been arrested, his lawyer Tamta Mikeladze confirmed on social media on June 9, noting that he was arrested “in connection with the same case under which Azerbaijan had sought his extradition,” after Baku “resumed” the investigation and prosecution. The confirmation of Sadigov’s …

Dzambolat Tadtayev, the de facto prime minister of Georgia’s occupied Tskhinvali/South Ossetia region, resigned on June 8, as Alan Gagloev, the region’s de facto president, has nominated Marat Kambolov, a former Russia official, to lead a new cabinet. While Kambolov’s Russian citizenship is not confirmed, he has reported extensive work experience in Russia’s federal government …

Georgian politicians from both the ruling Georgian Dream party and the opposition congratulated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on the victory of his party, Civil Contract, in the June 7 parliamentary elections. Extending her “warmest congratulations,” Salome Zourabichvili, Georgia’s fifth president, wrote on X, “Today, Armenia firmly chose a free, independent, and European future. This …

The U.S. House Committee on Armed Services approved two Georgia-related amendments for inclusion in the draft U.S. National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the annual “must-pass” bill, that would require reports on individuals described as “political prisoners” in Georgia, as well as on Russian and Chinese intelligence activities in the country. The amendments to NDAA, a …

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that a suspect detained in connection with the murder of the Russian artist known as Semyon Skrepetsky, who drew caricatures of Vladimir Putin and Ramzan Kadyrov, is “using a Georgian passport.” Russian artist Robert Kuzovkov, also known as Semyon Skrepetsky, was shot dead by an “unidentified gunman” early on …

Defense lawyer of Elene Khoshtaria, imprisoned leader of the opposition Droa party, said on June 17 that her health has significantly deteriorated in prison over recent months, accusing the penitentiary system of providing only “sporadic, unsystematic, and ineffective” care. Khoshtaria was detained on September 15, 2025, after writing “Russian Dream” on a campaign banner of …

Georgia is hosting the trilateral “Caucasian Eagle 2026” exercises involving local, Turkish and Azerbaijani special operations forces. The exercises, which kicked off on June 16, aim to “deepen synchronization and coordination” of the three countries’ special operations units, “enhance interoperability,” and “share experience,” the Georgian Defense Ministry said, adding that they focus on small-unit tactics …

Mikhail Shvydkoy, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Special Representative for International Cultural Cooperation, visited Tbilisi on June 14–15, Russia’s state-owned news ageny TASS reported. According to TASS, Shvydkoy attended screenings of filmed performances of “The Circus Princess” and “Reverse”, and spoke about the importance of culture in “restoring trust” between the two countries. “I think culture …

The so-called “supreme court” of the Russian-occupied Ukrainian region of Donetsk has sentenced Georgian fighter Bacho Nonashvili in absentia to 14 years in a “maximum-security penal colony” for fighting on Ukraine’s side “as a mercenary,” Russian state media outlet TASS reported. Citing the de facto prosecutor’s office, TASS said that 40-year-old Nonashvili arrived in Ukraine …

First fines were reported over “insults” and “petty hooliganism” against both a Georgian Dream official and an opposition figure as the Interior Ministry’s newly established Division for Combating Hate Speech reported submitting up to 60 cases to courts since the start of operation on June 1. In both cases, the court reportedly issued rulings without …

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić is visiting Georgia, marking his first official trip to the country. Accompanied by his wife and a state delegation, Vučić arrived at Tbilisi airport on June 15, where he was welcomed by Georgian Dream Economy Minister Mariam Kvrivishvili, who said the visit would be of “the utmost importance” for strengthening “trade …

Georgian-Spanish mixed martial arts fighter Ilia “El Matador” Topuria suffered his first UFC loss on June 14, surrendering his lightweight title to American fighter Justin Gaethje at an event hosted and attended by U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House as part of celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence. Gaethje landed several …

The Ministers Committee of the Council of Europe called on Georgian authorities to “revise” legislation related to freedom of assembly and ensure a “fully enabling environment” for NGOs monitoring and assisting respective cases, in a decision following a meeting on supervision of the execution of the European Court of Human Rights judgments. In the decision …

Below is the weekly digest of key developments and discourses in and around the occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali/South Ossetia, as well as those concerning Tbilisi–Moscow relations. Sokhumi Kan Kvarchia Criticises Russia and Calls for Dialogue with Tbilisi Abkhaz “opposition” leader Kan Kvarchia, recently sentenced by a Sochi court to 10.5 years in prison, has sharply criticised the ruling, …

Georgia’s Interior Ministry said 17 people remain stranded in the Russia-Georgia border zone, a day after reports raised alarm that Ukrainians stuck there allegedly facing dire conditions. According to the ministry’s June 11 statement, the 17 individuals stranded in the Dariali so-called “neutral zone” on the Russia-Georgia border – “none of whom are women or …

Backlash followed a video showing 10-year-old girl in a children’s chorus suddenly falling during a live performance on Georgia’s Public Broadcaster, with critics accusing adults and TV staff of negligence as it appeared the girl remained on the floor without attention until the performance ended about two minutes later. The TV station and chorus later …

Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze praised Georgia’s strategic partnership with China as “exemplary” while discussing ties between the two countries a day after Tbilisi and Beijing elevated relations to a “comprehensive strategic partnership.” In a June 10 briefing, Kobakhidze said relations between China and Georgia have developed “very dynamically” over the past years since …

Mamuka Artmeladze, a 43-year-old Georgian national, died in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody in Louisiana on June 4, the agency announced on June 7. According to ABC News, he is the 50th person to die in ICE detention during the second Trump administration. ICE said Artmeladze, an “illegal alien from the country of …

Georgian Dream Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met in Istanbul on June 8 for the tenth trilateral meeting of the three countries’ foreign ministers. They signed a joint statement, the Istanbul Declaration, and held a press conference after the event. Maka Botchorishvili also held bilateral …

Tbilisi and Beijing have elevated their bilateral relations to a “comprehensive strategic partnership,” the Embassy of China in Georgia said on June 9, publishing letters exchanged between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Georgian Dream-elected President Mikheil Kavelashvili on the occasion of the 34th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The comprehensive strategic partnership …

The U.S. House of Representatives passed on June 8 a bill requiring a report on Russian and Chinese intelligence assets in Georgia. The bill, H.R. 7668, titled “Countering China’s Control of the Caucasus Act,” was introduced on February 24 by Republican Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina, a vocal critic of Georgian Dream, and co-sponsored …

Georgia’s Interior Ministry announced on June 8 new legislative amendments tightening migration rules for foreign students and local educational institutions and criminalizing fictitious marriages between Georgian and foreign citizens, among other measures. The initiative follows the Georgian Dream government’s crackdown on illegal migration, including pledges to “free” the country of illegal migrants amid continued reports …

Georgian and European Union officials are scheduled to meet for a dialogue related to the suspension of the visa-free regime on June 11 amid continued warnings from Brussels that the measure currently targeting officials may extend to the entire country. Rikard Jozwiak, Europe Editor of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), first reported about the planned …

Below is the weekly digest of key developments and discourses in and around the occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali/South Ossetia, as well as those concerning Tbilisi–Moscow relations. Sokhumi Abkhaz ‘Opposition’ Leader Sentenced in Russia Kan Kvarchia, an Abkhaz opposition leader and the main defendant in the so-called “political technologists case,” has been sentenced in absentia by a Russian court to 10 years …

Georgia’s Prosecutor’s Office has launched a criminal investigation against the opposition-leaning channel Formula TV on allegations of “false report” against Goga Khaindrava, Georgian film director and former official known for his pro-government stances. “The investigation was initiated on the basis of a statement submitted by attorneys representing film director Giorgi (Goga) Khaindrava regarding allegations aired …

The National Bank of Georgia (NBG) decided to keep the key refinancing rate unchanged at 8.25% following a June 17 meeting of its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC). The Bank said it expects inflation to average 4.9% in 2026 and gradually return to its target level over the medium term. The NBG noted that annual inflation …

The European Parliament adopted a critical resolution on Georgia on June 17, calling on the EU and its member states to impose “targeted personal sanctions” on Bidzina Ivanishvili and other “key Georgian Dream leaders,” expressing regret that the authorities have not taken any steps to reverse “anti-European course,” and reiterating the “non-recognition of the legitimacy” of the …

Marat Kambolov has become the so-called “prime minister” of occupied Tskhinvali/South Ossetia after the region’s de facto “president” Alan Gagloev signed a decree on his appointment on June 16, following approval of his candidacy by the de facto “parliament.” He succeeds Dzambalot Tadtayev, who resigned on June 6 after holding the post since February 2026. …

Georgia’s disputed Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili criticized remarks by the EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos implying “new safeguards” to prevent new members from misusing veto powers, calling the idea “dangerous” and a “legal segregation of countries,” and warning that its adoption would fundamentally alter the union Georgia applied to join in 2022. Papuashvili’s criticism came …

The British Embassy in Georgia said on June 16 that the United Kingdom’s new sanctions package against Russia includes the vessel Silvar, which, according to the embassy, “accessed a Georgian port earlier this year.” The vessel, identified as “IMO 9291262 (SILVAR)” in the United Kingdom’s latest Russia sanctions designations, is listed among the ships “involved …

Amnesty International, a UK-based human rights organization, said Georgia’s ruling party has built a “sophisticated architecture of repression” over the 500 days of protests through what it described as restrictive legislation, police abuses, disinformation campaigns, and judicial practices aimed at suppressing dissent. In a June 15 report titled “Georgia: Anatomy of Repression: 500 Days of …

Six Georgian nationals, five men and a woman, have been sentenced to up to seven years in prison by a French court over stealing rare editions of 19th-century Russian literary classics from French libraries, French media reported on June 13. The stolen books, worth millions in total, included works by Alexander Pushkin, Nikolai Gogol, and …

The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) said the perpetrators had already been arrested in February after the opposition-leaning TV Pirveli channel aired a teaser featuring scenes of violence apparently involving police officers. On June 12, TV Pirveli released a teaser for Meladze’s Saturday (Meladzes Shabati), the channel’s weekend investigative program hosted by journalist Nodar …

Ambassadors of Israel, the United Kingdom, Italy, Armenia, and Turkey met with Georgian Patriarch Shio III on June 11 in what the Patriarchate said were separate “introductory meetings” with the newly enthroned leader of the Georgian Orthodox Church. The diplomats received by Shio III at the Patriarchate in Tbilisi included Israel’s Walid Abu Haya, the …

Maia Darsmelidze, a musician critical of the ruling Georgian Dream government, said on June 11 she has been notified by Interior Ministry’s newly established unit tasked with monitoring “hate speech” of administrative proceedings against her, marking the first reported case involving the unit established on June 1. According to Darsmelidze, who said she is scheduled …

The Prosecutor General’s Office of Georgia announced on June 11, at a briefing attended by U.S., Polish and local officials, the arrest of two foreign nationals it said were members of an organized criminal group involved in cryptocurrency laundering, which allegedly laundered cryptocurrency worth “several hundred million US dollars” over three years. According to Beka …

The so-called “supreme court” of the Russian-occupied Ukrainian region of Donetsk has sentenced Georgian fighter Nuri Mitagvaria in absentia to 14 years in a “maximum-security penal colony” for fighting on Ukraine’s side “as a mercenary.” He has also been placed on an international wanted list. In a June 9 statement, the Donetsk de facto prosecutor’s …

Eight defendants charged in connection with the October 4, 2025, local election day unrest reached plea agreements, with seven of them walking free from Tbilisi City Court, which approved the deals, on June 9, while the eighth, Eva Shashiashvili, had already been released on bail seven months earlier due to health-related concerns. The seven defendants include …

Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze held a briefing on June 9 dedicated to billionaire founder and honorary chairman of the ruling party, former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, extensively praising him and his personal role in the country’s politics. During a nearly eight-minute speech, Kobakhidze described Ivanishvili as a “political grandmaster” who, he said, is …

Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Georgia totaled USD 271.2 million in the first quarter of 2026, marking a 47.7% increase compared to the same period in 2025, according to preliminary data released by the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat) on June 9. Geostat said the growth was primarily driven by equity and debt instruments. …

Journalist Afgan Sadigov, who was deported by Georgia to Azerbaijan in April, was “forcibly” taken away by “4–5 masked individuals in plain clothes” to an unclear direction, the journalist’s wife, Sevinc Sadigova, wrote on Facebook on June 8. “Just now, 4–5 masked individuals in plain clothes stormed the place where Afqan was and forcibly took him away. …

Simon Rovensky, a 22-year-old Canadian student diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), has been detained in Georgia after entering the country with Adderall, a medication used to treat the condition that is banned under Georgian law, without carrying the prescription, according to his family. He faces charges of large-scale drug smuggling and the illegal …

Hungary is stopping issuing worker visas to citizens of Georgia, Armenia, and the Philippines as part of efforts to regulate “inflow of guest workers,” Hungarian government spokeswoman Vanda Szondi announced, according to Reuters June 5 report. The measure was set to take effect on Friday, June 5. Citing Szondi, Reuters reports that the new government …

Over a dozen defendants charged in connection with the October 4, 2025, election-day unrest are expected to be released from custody with suspended sentences after reaching plea agreements in two separate proceedings, with deals yet to be approved by courts. Fourteen out of fifteen defendants who have agreed to a deal have been in pretrial …