OSCE Report Highlights Georgia’s Violence and Political Repression

OSCE Report Highlights Georgia’s Violence and Political Repression

Executive Summary:

• The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) published a report on March 12 documenting democratic backsliding in Georgia since spring 2024, including violence against protesters, restrictions on civil society, and violations of freedom of expression.
• Georgian Dream’s response to the report was largely dismissive, with Speaker of the Georgian Parliament Shalva Papuashvili calling it “defamatory” and Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze calling it “complete nonsense.”
• The report may mark a turning point in Western pressure on Georgian Dream, as it provides legal grounds for accountability, with the potential for an OSCE member state to refer a case to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

On March 12, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) published a report on events in Georgia since spring 2024, prepared under the Moscow Mechanism. The document details a rollback of democratic principles, including violence against protesters, pressure on opposition leaders, and restrictions on freedom of expression (OSCE, March 12). The report emphasizes that attacks on government critics and journalists remain unpunished, while new laws restrict the activities of civil society, independent media, and opposition political parties. Particularly concerning for the ruling Georgian Dream party may be the report’s references to the possible use of chemical agents against protesters, as well as alleged torture and crimes against humanity (OSCE, March 12).

The report stresses the need for an independent and transparent investigation into these incidents. It also provides recommendations for the Georgian government, including conducting independent investigations into election violations, reforming the judicial system, and inviting international observers to future elections. The OSCE also calls for halting the process of banning certain opposition parties. The report further notes that serious human rights violations could entail international accountability, including proceedings at the International Criminal Court (ICC) (OSCE, March 12).

The publication of the report coincided with a European Parliament resolution adopted on March 12. The resolution condemned repression against opposition members and activists and called for the immediate and unconditional release of political prisoners (European Parliament, March 12). The European Parliament wrote on Facebook, “Georgia’s regime is allowing Russian influence, arresting journalists, opponents and activists, and curbing protests. Parliament stands with the people of Georgia” (Facebook/EuropeanParliament, March 13). The resolution also expressed concern over the growing influence of Russia, the People’s Republic of China, and Iran in Georgia (see EDM, March 9; European Parliament, March 12).

The OSCE prepared the report after 23 OSCE states invoked the Moscow Mechanism in January to “assess Georgia’s implementation of its OSCE commitments” (OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, January 29; see EDM, February 10). The report carries a different significance than the European Parliament’s resolution. It effectively points to the possible existence of systemic human rights violations and could serve as a basis for legal action by OSCE member states.

Georgian Dream leaders initially reacted to the OSCE report in their usual critical manner. Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze, an influential party leader, called the report “complete nonsense.” In response to OSCE demands to repeal recently adopted repressive laws—including those on foreign influence, registration of foreign agents, and grants—he said, “The authorities of Georgia will decide which laws should be adopted within the country” (Gruziya Online, March 13).

Kaladze also attempted to link the OSCE report with the issue of same-sex marriage, which, according to Georgian Dream, Western institutions are trying to impose on Georgia (Gruziya Online, March 13). Georgian Dream has traditionally used this narrative to divert attention from Western criticism of democratic development and, at the same time, claim that all criticism directed at the party stems from Georgia’s refusal to recognize same-sex marriages (see EDM, September 23, 2025).

Speaker of the Georgian Parliament Shalva Papuashvili dismissed the report as “defamatory” and “built entirely on hearsay,” arguing that its findings lacked legal foundation (1tv.ge, March 16). He claimed that the document used anecdotal testimony and pushed back against the prospect of international legal proceedings, arguing that Georgia had prevailed against European challengers in prior court cases involving political opposition. He framed the report as “an attempt to use the OSCE as a weapon to advance their own agenda. What is their agenda? To bring a puppet regime to power in Georgia” (Facebook/Publika, March 12).

On March 14, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze called the OSCE’s findings “a complete lie.” Despite rejecting the report, Kobakhidze acknowledged that it contains specific information and recommendations that correspond to reality and must be followed. He did not, however, specify which recommendations he was referring to (Facebook/KobakhidzeOfficial, March 14). According to Georgian media reports, the honorary chairman of Georgian Dream and the country’s informal leader, Bidzina Ivanishvili, urgently summoned Kobakhidze, demanded explanations regarding the current situation, and instructed him to take steps to address the problem (YouTube/@tvpirveli1, March 15).

The OSCE report also recommends that the Georgian government resume dialogue with the opposition. In response, Kobakhidze stated on March 14, “The opposition must recognize us as the legitimate government, and only after that will we consider resuming dialogue with them” (Facebook/KobakhidzeOfficial, March 14). With this statement, he effectively acknowledged that for Georgian Dream, a major concern is that its legitimacy is being questioned within the country. It was against this backdrop that new legislation was adopted in Georgia a few days earlier. According to this legislation, anyone who does not recognize the legitimacy of the constitutional authorities may face criminal liability (Legislative Herald of Georgia, March 4).

The Georgian opposition viewed the OSCE report as an opportunity to press for the removal of Georgian Dream. The leaders of the newly formed opposition declared it “the harshest verdict against Ivanishvili’s Russian-backed regime,” claiming it had exposed the use of chemical weapons against protesters (Interpressnews, March 12). The imprisoned former president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, echoed this view, writing, “The report finally puts an end to Ivanishvili and his ugly puppets’ attempts to ‘beautify their image’ before the West—dark clouds are gathering over the dictator” (Facebook/SaakashviliMikheil, March 13).

The OSCE report poses a threat to Georgian Dream. It could provide a basis for OSCE member states to hold the party’s leaders criminally accountable for potential crimes against humanity and torture. The report implies that any OSCE member involved in its preparation could appeal to the ICC to bring those responsible for possible crimes to justice. The ICC’s conclusion of its preliminary examinations into the crimes against humanity allegedly committed by the government of another post-Soviet country—Belarus—further complicates the situation (ICC, March 13). Those proceedings against Belarus, which is not a member of the ICC, began after Lithuania referred the matter to the court (ICC, March 13). Similarly, following the OSCE report on Georgia, an OSCE member state could bring a case before the OSCE if Georgia ignores the recommendations. Georgian Dream has fewer options, even if it tries to withdraw from the Rome Statute to formally exit the ICC’s jurisdiction.

Papuashvili preemptively sought to justify a possible withdrawal from international agreements or organizations by citing similar actions by the United States. According to him, the United States distances itself from several international structures due to wasted funds and their alleged harmfulness (1tv.ge, January 8, March 12). Belarus is not a party to the Rome Statute, but this does not prevent the ICC from initiating an investigation. Georgian Dream, using its satellite party United Neutral Georgia—which opposes the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union and supports closer ties with Russia—immediately launched a campaign calling on the government to withdraw from several international agreements and organizations (Facebook/ertianineitralurisakartvelo, March 13). In a statement, United Neutral Georgia emphasized, “Georgia must withdraw from international agreements and organizations that have turned into an absolute farce and are used only as instruments of blackmail.” Georgian Dream’s satellite claims, “In a situation of complete dysfunction, such formats—be it the OSCE, the Venice Commission, or others—have finally evolved into tools of oligarchic families, used to achieve political and ideological goals” (Facebook/ertianineitralurisakartvelo, March 13).

The response of Western institutions had previously been largely limited to political statements and resolutions. There is, however, now a growing impression that Western structures may be gradually moving from rhetorical criticism to more practical measures. The OSCE report may represent a red line beyond which it will become much more difficult for Georgian Dream to ignore international criticism.