Shalva Esartia, a second Georgian anti-government protester, faces criminal charges related to minor protest offenses. He is accused of blocking roads and disobeying police during demonstrations. If convicted, Esartia could potentially serve up to a year in prison.
Esartia, a regular participant in daily protests in Zugdidi, was detained on March 17th after being accused of failing to yield to a pedestrian. During a court hearing on Friday, Judge Ekaterine Bebia ordered his pre-trial detention for 50 days, with the next hearing scheduled for May 5th. His sister, Tamar Kankava, stated that Esartia was traveling to a protest when he was stopped.
His vehicle displayed Georgian and EU flags, and he played protest songs as was his custom. Following an altercation with police over a traffic violation, Esartia demanded evidence and expressed distrust of the police. After the incident, he was detained and taken into custody.
Other activists filmed the arrest, protesting the police actions. Esartia’s blood pressure rose, necessitating an ambulance call, and he was subsequently transferred to a detention facility in Mestia. Esartia had previously been penalized for disobeying police orders, first with a fine and then with a seven-day detention sentence in January and December 2025.
The Civil Solidarity Fund described the criminal charge as “completely incomprehensible and legally absurd,” arguing that emotional protest should not be treated as a criminal offense. The organization believes the charge represents selective justice. This case follows another Georgian protester, Zurab Menteshashvili, who was also criminally charged for repeatedly blocking a road and initiated a hunger strike.
These developments reflect new criminal penalties introduced by the Georgian Dream party for repeated protest-related administrative offenses, stemming from ongoing anti-government rallies.
Topics: #esartia #second #georgian
