Civil Society Groups Condemn Detention of Journalist Vakho Sanaia
By Messenger Staff
Thursday, July 23, 2026
A coalition of Georgian civil society organizations has condemned the 14-day administrative detention of Formula TV anchor Vakho Sanaia, calling it "another step against freedom of expression" and accusing the Georgian Dream government of escalating pressure on independent media.
In a joint statement released on July 22, the organizations said Sanaia's imprisonment reflects an effort by the authorities to silence critical voices and remove independent media from the public sphere.
"We believe that this court decision is another attempt to suppress independent media and critical voices, which is characteristic of authoritarian regimes of the Russian-Belarusian type," the statement said. It added that the government is trying to create "a reality in which people are punished for expressing their personal opinions and views."
The groups noted that sanctioned judge Zviad Tsekvava sentenced Sanaia to 14 days in administrative detention over a social media post, describing it as the first known case in which someone has received administrative detention for content published online. They also said Sanaia had previously been fined GEL 6,000 over the same post.
The statement argues that independent media has become a target because it reports on alleged corruption and other issues involving the ruling party. Instead of investigating wrongdoing, the organizations said, the government is using "repressive laws" to pursue journalists and whistleblowers.
The groups also criticized Article 17316 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, the provision under which Sanaia was detained. They said it was introduced by the Georgian Dream parliament in February 2025 through an expedited process that received negative assessments from the OSCE/ODIHR and the Venice Commission. They also referred to a special Interior Ministry unit established to enforce the law, saying it has been nicknamed the "Scrolling-Screenshotting Department."
The organizations expressed solidarity with Sanaia and "all journalists who have recently become targets of the repressive policies of the Georgian Dream government," adding that independent media continues to play an essential role in informing the public despite growing pressure.
The statement was signed by 18 organizations, including Transparency International Georgia, the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association, the Social Justice Center, the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI), the Democracy Research Institute (DRI), and the Human Rights Center (HRC).
