Georgia's New 'Hate Speech' Unit Issues First Fines for Online Comments
By Messenger Staff
Wednesday, June 17, 2026
Georgia's Interior Ministry unit tasked with monitoring "hate speech" online has issued its first fines, targeting people who posted critical comments about Georgian Dream party lawmaker and an opposition figure, with courts in both cases reportedly ruling without hearing from the alleged victims.
The Division for Combating Hate Speech began operating on June 1 with a staff of ten within the ministry's Human Rights Protection Department. Since then, the MIA said on June 15, up to 60 cases have been submitted to courts, seven of which have already resulted in rulings, with preparatory hearings scheduled in 30 more.
Lawyer Shota Tutberidze said he was fined GEL 4,000 by Tbilisi City Court after being found guilty of insulting Georgian Dream lawmaker Nino Tsilosani over a Facebook comment he posted on June 2. Tutberidze was charged under Article 17316, which covers insulting a public official and carries a fine of GEL 1,500 to GEL 4,000 or up to 45 days of administrative detention. He told RFE/RL's Georgian service that the court never established whether Tsilosani actually felt offended. "How can an act of insult be established if you do not find out whether someone felt offended, especially Nino Tsilosani, who was neither interviewed nor questioned?" he said.
In a separate case reported on June 16, Giorgi Gedenidze was fined GEL 2,000 for "petty hooliganism" over an offensive comment about opposition Ahali party leader Nika Gvaramia posted on Imedi TV's social media page on June 3. Gvaramia said he found out about the ruling from media coverage and had no idea it was coming. "If I am not offended, is it that the state 'protects' my dignity without my position?" he wrote on Facebook, adding: "It wasn't enough that they fine me and arrest me and now I have to worry about others being fined because of me."
The MIA stated that the article used to fine Gedenidze does not require a complaint from the alleged victim for authorities to act. The offense carries a fine of GEL 500 to GEL 3,000 or up to 20 days of administrative detention.
