Clashes at Kakha Kaladze's headquarters in Tbilisi: protesters and journalists injured

Late in the evening of September 8, a serious clash between government supporters and participants in the anti-government rally took place at the election headquarters of the ruling Georgian Dream party's candidate for mayor of Tbilisi Kakha Kaladze on Melikishvili Avenue.

According to the protesters, they were attacked by the youth wing of the Georgian Dream. The attackers arrived in cars and, according to eyewitnesses, were armed with metal rods. As a result of the scuffle, several people were injured, including SovLab NGO representative Rusiko Kobakhidze, a mother of nine children, as well as a Hungarian journalist covering pro-European rallies in Georgia. During the live broadcast, a correspondent for the Publika publication was also injured - he was hit, as a result of which his phone was knocked out of his hands and then confiscated.

After the incident, the protesters headed towards Rustaveli Avenue to the parliament building, where regular protests continue.

The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that a criminal case had been opened under Article 126 of the Criminal Code - group violence. The department emphasized that law enforcement officers took measures to defuse the situation and warned about liability for violations. However, none of the participants in the clash were detained.

Recall that local government elections in Georgia are scheduled for October 4.

Последние новости
Russian authorities want to impose fines for wearing the niqab
Human rights
Russian authorities want to impose fines for wearing the niqab
25 February 2026

Deputies have introduced a bill in the State Duma banning the wearing of niqabs and any other clothing that covers the face. Examples cited include the ban on wearing such clothing in Central Asian countries.

Georgia again rejected calls to join anti-Russian sanctions
Politics
Georgia again rejected calls to join anti-Russian sanctions
25 February 2026

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze criticized Brussels' demands to join sanctions against Russia. He said these calls were inappropriate, given that the EU itself is a major importer of Russian products.

Ruben Vardanyan Drops Appeal Against 20-Year Sentence in Azerbaijan
Human rights
Ruben Vardanyan Drops Appeal Against 20-Year Sentence in Azerbaijan
25 February 2026

Billionaire and former Nagorno-Karabakh state minister Ruben Vardanyan, sentenced in Baku to 20 years in prison, rejected the legal force of the ruling and dropped his appeal. His family explained that this decision stemmed from the fact that, in their view, the trial was a "staged performance" rather than a proper trial: the hearings were held behind closed doors, without access to independent observers, and the prosecution's motions were ignored. The full text of the verdict was also not released.

Azerbaijani political prisoners appeal to the European Commission to address human rights in the country
Human rights
Azerbaijani political prisoners appeal to the European Commission to address human rights in the country
25 February 2026

A group of imprisoned activists and journalists from Baku's Penal Colony No. 2 has appealed to the President of the European Commission. They demand the implementation of European Parliament resolutions calling for the release of Azerbaijani political prisoners.