HRW: Georgia’s Human Rights Record ‘Sharply Deteriorated’ in 2025

2026-02-04 - 14:37

Human Rights Watch said in its recently published World Report that Georgia’s human rights record “sharply deteriorated” in 2025. “Georgia’s human rights record sharply deteriorated in 2025 as the ruling Georgian Dream party adopted sweeping laws aimed at decimating the country’s vibrant society and silencing critical media,” the report’s five-page section on Georgia said. “Authorities also excessively interfered with largely peaceful protests,” the organization stressed, adding, “The measures go against Georgia’s human rights commitments on freedoms of expression, assembly, and association, as well as on equality and non-discrimination.” The report is largely descriptive, reviewing the adoption of repressive legislation, including the “foreign agents” law and amendments to the Law on Grants that target civil society and independent media, as well as authorities’ enforcement measures such as inspections, freezing of bank accounts, and criminal prosecutions. It also details the government’s response to protests, citing widespread excessive use of police force, torture and ill-treatment, mass arrests, and the passage of increasingly restrictive protest-related laws. In addition, the report documents the conviction and jailing of opposition politicians, the targeting of independent media through legislative and regulatory pressure, and the imprisonment of journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli on what it describes as politically motivated charges. Also Read: 26/01/2026 – HRW: Georgia Using New Laws to Arbitrarily Detain and Harass Peaceful Protesters 30/01/2025 – HRC Releases Critical Annual Human Rights Report