Dustin

Dutch journalist denied entry to Georgia twice in July Joost Bosman has been covering the latest wave of anti-government protests in Georgia.

🇬🇪 Dutch journalist Joost Bosman was twice denied entry to Georgia in July, adding to the list of Western journalists barred entry into the country for covering the ongoing wave of anti-government protests.

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Thanks! Sent an email. Messaging here just in case it goes to spam

Any chance I could get the preprint or slides? I work with a fair number of climate advocates and they’re super interested in this !

Ukrainians deported from Russia held ‘in basement’ on Georgian border At least 36 Ukrainian nationals are reportedly being held by the Georgian authorities without access to food or water.

Georgian authorities are reportedly holding at least 36 Ukrainian nationals deported from Russia in a basement of an unfinished building near its border checkpoint with Russia, 'in poor conditions with few mattresses and little food'.

oc-media.org/ukrainians-d...

With so much repression all around, attention has slipped from Bahruz Samadov, also in jail, sentence in the kangaroo court in Baku expected on Monday.
#Azerbaijan

His account has been silent for months but you can follow below.
@smdov.bsky.social

Banned from home for 40 years: deportations are Russia’s latest move to ‘cleanse’ Ukraine A deal freezing frontlines would be unacceptable for Serhiy Serdiuk, who was taken to Georgia in handcuffs with his family after refusing to teach the Russian curriculum

My story about a newish phenomenon of deportations from the occupied areas of Ukraine. Russia tells people they are banned from “Russia” for 40/50 years, drives them 20 hours under guard to the border with Georgia and pushes them across

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

Court Bombards Critics with Fines over Facebook Posts ‘Insulting’ Ruling Party MPs - Civil Georgia Multiple Georgian Dream critics, including opposition politicians, journalists, and activists, have

Multiple Georgian Dream critics, including opposition politicians, journalists, and activists, have been fined for Facebook posts that a court deemed “insults” to ruling party MPs.

Jailed opposition leader Gvaramia re-summoned to Georgian Dream commision According to Nika Gvaramia’s party, the politician received the letter in prison.

Nika Gvaramia, an imprisoned opposition leader who was recently arrested after refusing to appear before a Georgian Dream parliamentary commission, has been summoned to the same commission for a second time from prison.

oc-media.org/jailed-oppos...

Abuse Allegations as Man Dies After Police Custody - Civil Georgia A man died after being hospitalized from police custody, amid allegations that the fatal outcome was

A man died after being hospitalized from police custody, amid allegations that the fatal outcome was caused by a beating at the police station.

British Embassy Rejects GD’s Accusations of Funding ‘Propaganda and Extremism,’ Urges Invitation of ODIHR Observers - Civil Georgia The British Embassy in Georgia has rejected accusations by the ruling Georgian Dream government that

British Embassy rejects Georgian Dream’s accusations of funding “propaganda and extremism” in Georgia through CSOs. It also urges the GD government to invite ODIHR observers for the upcoming local polls. GD PM Irakli Kobakhidze said such observation is “unnecessary.”

Georgian authorities demand ‘personal data’ of beneficiaries of five civil society groups Civil society organisations have described the request as the beginning of the enforcement of the ‘Russian laws’.

Georgia’s Anti-Corruption Bureau has demanded that five prominent civil society organisations hand over extensive financial records and information about their beneficiaries, including data about domestic abuse victims.

oc-media.org/georgian-aut...

And so it’s begun

🧵1/ A growing number of foreign journalists say they’ve been denied entry to Georgia in recent months — all under the same vague justification:

“Because of other reasons envisioned by Georgian law.”

#TerrorinGeorgia

a dark storefront for “president business gifts”

to me this just reads as “low-level corruption store”

1/ Gela Mtivlishvili, founder of Mountain News, suffered a heart attack. When he went to pay at the hospital, he discovered that his bank accounts had been seized and he was unable to make the payment.

Georgian Dream’s FARA Takes Effect  - Civil Georgia The Georgian interpretation of the American Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) took effect on Ma

Georgian interpretation of the American Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) took effect on May 31, amid widespread fears that the vague legislation would be used to further crack down on freedom of expression and association in the country. civil.ge/archives/684...

Another day and another journalist barred from Georgia

Between harassment and expulsion, Georgia is bent on silencing British journalist Will Neal Independent British journalist Will Neal was arbitrarily denied entry into Georgia, where he has lived since 2022, upon returning from a trip to the United Kingdom (UK) and European Union (EU). Report...

My good friend and an amazing investigative journalist @willneal.bsky.social was barred from entering Georgia. Will has worked on several important investigative stories on Georgia rsf.org/en/between-h...

It's as always been an absolute pleasure to give a small lecture on a simple 2x2 DiD design asserting whether the conspiracy theory that Paul McCartney died in 1966 and was replaced by an impostor is true. If you're interested, I'm always happy to give this presentation free of charge anywhere. :)

Many thanks to @zetaof1.bsky.social for giving his now annual lecture on the Beatles and differences in differences at ISET! Students loved it!

Global Forest Loss Hit a Record Last Year as Fires Raged

The planet lost a record amount of forests last year, largely because of fires around the world, data shows. Researchers estimated that the world lost the equivalent of 18 soccer fields of forested land every minute.

Georgian opposition leader Zurab Girchi Japaridze has been arrested for refusing to appear at the government’s anti-UNM commission.

As @hansgutbrod.bsky.social has described it, this is a prosecute anyone law

Today, Kuprashvili met with media outlets and civil society organizations. Those present at the meeting report the same thing: the regime refuses to clarify the law, keeping its terms as vague as possible. 5/

As I wrote earlier today, yesterday he met with embassy representatives and demanded that all their employees register as principals of foreign influence. This is unprecedented. 4/

Datablog | Increasing optimism for the future in Armenia and Georgia Armenians were generally more optimistic than Georgians, though both have seen an increase since 2017.

Since the Velvet Revolution, Armenians across a wide cross-section of society have become increasingly optimistic about their country’s future. In comparison, Georgians have seen only a modest increase in optimism over the time period.

oc-media.org/datablog-inc...

Equivalent to very roughly 2 years of the prime ministers salary, no?

Georgian officials raid homes of people linked to funding sources supporting pro-EU protesters The Prosecutor General’s Office representatives began the searches in the morning.

Georgian officials have raided the homes of people linked to funding sources supporting pro-EU protesters. The searches are part of a 'sabotage' investigation launched in March at the request of a pro-government group.

oc-media.org/georgian-off...

Also read this: "The government is plunging Georgia ever deeper into a human rights crisis,” Williamson of @hrw.org said, “The authorities could avoid making it worse and instead indicate that they retain some respect for human rights and rule of law by scrapping the foreign agents bill.”