We, the undersigned representatives of Georgia’s civil society, strongly condemn the coordinated searches carried out at the homes of several leaders of public funds on April 20, 2025. These acts represent a dangerous escalation in the ongoing efforts to intimidate and dismantle independent civic life in Georgia.
The targets of these operations are individuals at the forefront of humanitarian work—supporting the most vulnerable segments of our society, including people with disabilities, internally displaced persons, low-income families, and victims of violence. These organizations have played an essential role in areas where state support is lacking, providing food, shelter, medical care, education, and psychosocial services.
The use of state power to disrupt the work of such funds is not only morally indefensible—it is a blatant attempt to criminalize compassion and silence those who advocate for dignity and justice. These searches, conducted without credible legal justification or transparency, appear to be politically motivated and part of a broader campaign against civil society and democratic institutions.
This attack follows a pattern of democratic backsliding in Georgia, including the attempted adoption of so-called “foreign agent” legislation, harassment of the media, and continued pressure on independent watchdogs. We warn that these actions threaten not only constitutional freedoms of association and expression but also the country’s Euro-Atlantic integration and international credibility. We call on Georgia’s international partners to respond resolutely and to stand with the Georgian people and civil society in this critical moment. We will not be intimidated. We will continue to serve those in need. We will defend Georgia’s democratic future.
Address to all global media workers and press freedom defenders
Stand with us and fight before it is too late, as Mzia Amaglobeli has called on all of us from behind bars while on her hunger strike.
