2024–2026 Georgian protests

2024–2026 Georgian protests
2024–2026 Georgian protests
Part of the 2024–2026 Georgian political crisis, the Second Cold War, the Southeast Europe protests (2024–present) and the Democratic backsliding in Georgia
	Clockwise from top left: Protesters gather on the streets of Tbilisi; Protestors launching fireworks at Georgian Parliament Building; Roadblocks burned by protesters;
Date	28 October 2024 – present (1 year, 4 months and 16 days) ; Main escalation: 28 November—5 December 2024
Location	Georgia (Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Batumi, Zugdidi, Telavi and other cities); Diaspora: Various cities in European Union and United States.
Caused by	Alleged electoral fraud and public distrust in the electoral system; Announcement of Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze to postpone Georgia's integration into the European Union until 2028; Disputed election of Mikheil Kavelashvili as President of Georgia; Democratic backsliding in Georgia;
Goals	Annulment of the results of the parliamentary and presidential elections; New parliamentary and presidential elections, conducted impartially; Release of all protesters detained by law enforcement; Reinstatement of pro-EU foreign policy;
Methods	Demonstrations, legal action, sit-ins, student protest, civil disobedience, online activism, traffic obstruction, strike actions, use of pyrotechnics, hacktivism
Status	Ongoing Increase in authoritarianism marked by surveillance expansion and restrictive laws on NGOs and media; Use of excessive force and instances of torture to disperse protests, causing riots and hundreds of injuries with no accountability; U.S., several EU countries, UK and Ukraine impose sanctions on 200+ Georgian officials over the crackdown; Approximately 50+ political prisoners, activists, and protest participants detained on politically motivated charges, according to civil society; Opposition figures and leaders arrested and jailed in a wave of mass detentions; Attempt to overthrow the government on October 4, 2025 fails; organizers and numerous participants arrested.;
Parties
Opposition; Coalition for Change; Unity – National Movement; For the People; Freedom Square; Federalists; Sartuli; Movement for Social Democracy; Strong Georgia (until October 2025); For Georgia (until October 2025); Various groups of students and civil activists; President of Georgia (until 29 December 2024; disputed); ; Supported by:; European Union European Parliament; ; United States House of Representatives; ; United Kingdom; Ukraine ;	Kobakhidze government Ministry of Internal Affairs Police of Georgia; Special Tasks Department; ; National Guard; State Security Service; Prosecutor's Office; Hired government supporters (alleged); ; Parliamentary majority Georgian Dream; People's Power; European Socialists; President of Georgia (since 29 December 2024; disputed); ; Supported by:; Hungary; Russia; China;
Lead figures
	Salomé Zourabichvili; Giorgi Margvelashvili (Strong Georgia; 4th president); Nika Gvaramia (Ahali); Nika Melia (Ahali); Levan Khabeishvili (UNM); Paata Burchuladze (Independent); Zurab Japaridze (Girchi-MF); Elene Khoshtaria (Droa); Tinatin Bokuchava (UNM); Giorgi Vashadze (Strategy); Mamuka Khazaradze (Lelo); Badri Japaridze (Lelo); Aleko Elisashvili (Citizens); Levan Tsutskiridze (Freedom Square); Anna Dolidze (For the People); Giorgi Gakharia (For Georgia); Giga Bokeria (Federalists); Irakli Kobakhidze; Mikheil Kavelashvili; Shalva Papuashvili; Mamuka Mdinaradze; Nino Tsilosani; Bidzina Ivanishvili; Kakha Kaladze; Vakhtang Gomelauri; Irakli Garibashvili; Dimitri Samkharadze; Sozar Subari; Gia Volski; Thea Tsulukiani; Giorgi Kakhiani; Zviad Kharazishvili;
Number
Protesters: around 200,000 (peak)	Law enforcement officers: unclear
Casualties
Injuries	400+ detained protesters reported injuries from police violence (28 November – 7 December); 70+ journalists (28 November – 10 December)
Arrested	500 protestors (28 November – 5 December 2024); 218 protestors (December 2024 – November 2025)
Fined	From November 2024 to March 2025, protesters were fined a total of over 2,000,000 GEL (about 700,000 USD)

The 2024–2026 Georgian protests began on 28 October 2024 after the preliminary official results of the parliamentary election of 26 October were announced. The ruling Georgian Dream party, led by Bidzina Ivanishvili, declared victory according to those results. The demonstrators claimed that the elections were fraudulent, and demanded a recount and a new election.

A string of protests and legal challenges against the election outcome took place in the following months and escalated on 28 November when the ruling party announced that, it would "suspend" the European Union accession process until the end of 2028. This decision occurred against the background of Georgians' high levels of trust in the EU.

Police and ruling party-affiliated violent groups engaged in widespread violence and torture against protesters and journalists. Evidence circulated on social media indicating violence by the Titushky. The Public Defender of Georgia found that the type and severity of injuries intentionally inflicted on protesters "constitutes an act of torture". An investigation by BBC also revealed that the ruling party had used a chemical weapon camite against protestors, which the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture described as "absolutely in violation of human rights law."

On 13 February 2025, the European Parliament passed a resolution stating that it does not recognize the results of both the parliamentary and presidential elections as legitimate. High-ranking officials of the Georgian Dream ruling party were sanctioned by the United States, United Kingdom, and a number of individual EU member states. On 4 October 2025, some parts of the opposition attempted to storm the Presidential Palace, but were stopped by the security forces.