MMA Fighter Launches Movement to Defend 'Georgian Values'
By Messenger Staff
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
Georgian MMA fighter and government supporter Giorgi Kartvelishvili has announced the creation of a new "people's movement" that he said will defend Georgian values and traditions from what he described as foreign-backed groups promoting "pseudo-liberal ideology."
Speaking at a July 27 briefing at the Georgian Federation of Journalists, Kartvelishvili said Georgia was facing an organized campaign against its national identity, religion, traditions and cultural heritage. He claimed these efforts were being carried out by foreign-funded organizations, politicians, activists, media representatives and others connected to them.
"This confirms that attacks on everything Georgian are not a natural process, but a deliberately planned and artificially fuelled one, which in the modern technological era often takes on an uncontrolled form," he said.
Kartvelishvili argued that insulting Georgian history, culture and national identity, and then trying to normalize such behavior, was intended to weaken the values that unite the country.
"That is why our initiative group is founding a people's movement to defend Georgian values and traditions," he said, adding that the group would fight "foreign-funded people who are in servile obedience to external interests and those with a distorted ideology, as well as against groups formed by them."
He called on "every patriotic Georgian" to join the initiative.
Kartvelishvili said the movement would be active and operate constructively, but added that its members were prepared to face legal consequences if necessary.
"We will not shy away from any danger. We are ready to be held accountable for each of our actions and, if necessary, even go to prison," he said.
The initiative was criticized by opposition politician Nika Gvaramia, one of the leaders of Ahali and the Coalition for Change, who described it as "an inspiration for mass violence and retaliation in the name of pseudo-morality."
The announcement also prompted concern among opposition media outlets and civil society groups, which said the new movement could be used to justify "moral policing." Critics argued it could signal greater use of groups commonly referred to as "tituski" to intimidate government opponents.
Georgian Dream lawmaker Archil Gorduladze welcomed the initiative, saying it was "important and good when people have the desire to defend and raise their voice against targeted actions directed against the country's culture, faith, people's rights, and history."
He added that "of course, all of this should take place within the framework of the law and in full compliance with it."
The announcement came days after stand-up comedian and anti-government protester Onise Okriashvili was assaulted following a joke that mentioned acclaimed Georgian writer Nodar Dumbadze alongside profane language. After pro-government media portrayed the joke as an insult to Dumbadze, Okriashvili said it had been part of a hypothetical example intended to demonstrate the absurdity of such an insult. One of the alleged attackers was arrested but later released on bail.
