Georgia Police Detain Protesters Without Cause

*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id="request-69886e02-1980-832b-802a-1be59adff365-0" data-testid="conversation-turn-172" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn="assistant"> Police actions in Georgia have triggered renewed alarm after peaceful protesters were detained under recently expanded legal powers. Demonstrations held on January 10, 2026, in Tbilisi took place against the backdrop of sweeping amendments that critics say dangerously restrict freedom of assembly and expression.

According to Human Rights Watch , amendments adopted on December 12, 2025, to Georgia’s Law on Assemblies and Manifestations have granted police broad discretion to regulate protests, particularly in public spaces such as sidewalks. Early enforcement has already resulted in multiple cases of arbitrary detention, making peaceful protest significantly riskier than before.

New Legal Powers Expand Police Control Recent amendments require protest organizers to notify the Ministry of Internal Affairs at least five days before any assembly. Police are permitted to alter protest dates or locations within three days if authorities believe traffic could be disrupted. Officers are also empowered to issue immediate, on-site orders during demonstrations, even without clear individualized instructions.

Failure to comply can result in harsh penalties. Individuals face up to 15 days in detention, while organizers risk up to 20 days. Repeat violations may escalate into criminal charges carrying prison sentences of up to one year, sharply raising the stakes for civic participation.

Arbitrary Detentions And Court Rulings Enforcement of the new law has already produced controversial court outcomes. On January 23, 2026, the Tbilisi City Court sentenced Sandro Megrelishvili, a 35-year-old international relations expert, to four days in detention. Charges stemmed from allegations that he obstructed pedestrian traffic by standing on a sidewalk outside parliament on December 17, 2025.

Megrelishvili told Human Rights Watch that police never explained how he obstructed movement. Surveillance footage presented in court reportedly showed pedestrians walking freely without impediment. Similar rulings were issued the same day against four other protesters, each receiving four to five days of detention for identical alleged offenses.

More cases are pending. Giorgi Bulia, age 30, faces trial on January 26, 2026, under comparable circumstances. Defense lawyers argue that video evidence shows no obstruction, only individuals standing peacefully while the public moved normally.

Defense attorneys representing multiple protesters have raised concerns about vague police instructions during demonstrations. Videos shown in court often depict generalized announcements ordering people to disperse, without clarifying who was being addressed. Such ambiguity has played a central role in convictions.

Judicial practices have further intensified concerns. In several instances, judges dismissed administrative cases and referred them to investigative authorities, exposing protesters to potential criminal prosecution. Police have publicly denied detaining people solely for standing on sidewalks, asserting that penalties were imposed for obstructing pedestrian traffic during protests.

International Law Obligations At Risk As a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights , Georgia is obligated to protect freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. Restrictions must be lawful, necessary, and proportionate. International law also requires full criminal due process protections when penalties involve detention, even if offenses are labeled administrative.

Recent jurisprudence reinforces these standards. The European Court of Human Rights ruled that Georgia violated a protester’s rights during March 2023 demonstrations, citing reliance on unverified police testimony and inadequate judicial scrutiny. That ruling exposed structural flaws in Georgia’s administrative offense system.

Growing Calls For Reform Human Rights Watch has urged Georgia’s parliament to repeal or amend laws that unduly restrict peaceful assemblies and to align domestic legislation with international standards. Law enforcement agencies are also being called upon to end arbitrary detentions, ensure lawful protest restrictions, and safeguard fair trial rights.

Giorgi Gogia, deputy director for Europe and Central Asia at Human Rights Watch, warned that requiring advance notice for peaceful sidewalk assemblies and imposing detention based on vague police orders is fundamentally disproportionate. Measures framed as maintaining public order, he said, instead function to suppress dissent.