Bidzina Ivanishvili, founder of the ruling "Georgian Dream" party, has appeared for the second consecutive year on the "Predators of Press Freedom" list compiled by the international organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF). In the 2026 report, he is categorized under "Economy"—cited for leveraging his financial resources and influence over state institutions to exert pressure on independent media.

RSF notes that Ivanishvili remains the true center of power in Georgia, with his economic reach enabling him to maintain control over the information landscape, including through pro-government television channels such as Imedi TV and Rustavi 2.

"Under his influence, economic resources and state institutions are used to implement a policy of suppressing independent media—through financial pressure, the adoption of repressive laws, censorship, and legal prosecution. Independent journalists are stigmatized, intimidated, and silenced," the report states.

Among the reasons for Ivanishvili’s inclusion, the organization cites the continued detention of Mzia Amaglobeli—a journalist and founder of the outlets *Batumelebi* and *Netgazeti*—as well as the enactment of laws that criminalize certain forms of foreign funding, pressure on television channels critical of the government, and an increase in legal proceedings brought against journalists.

The 2026 list includes 33 individuals and organizations. Among them are U.S. President Donald Trump—appearing on the list for the first time—Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega. Aliyev, Putin, and Trump are categorized under "Politics."

In its profile on the Azerbaijani president, RSF highlights the tightening of state control over the media sector, the persecution of independent journalists, and the blocking of media outlets. The organization notes that 27 media representatives were held in custody in the country. Specific cases include prison sentences of up to 14 years handed down to staff at Toplum TV, and terms of up to nine years for journalists from Abzas Media. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) identifies institutionalized censorship as the primary tool of pressure in Azerbaijan.

In the "Safety" category, RSF highlights the Israeli armed forces, Mexican drug cartels, and the Chinese Communist Party. The organization points to the persecution of journalists in the occupied Palestinian territories and Lebanon, and describes China under Xi Jinping as the world’s largest prison for journalists.

Separately, RSF notes that in Mexico, organized crime has been responsible for the killing of nearly one journalist per month since the beginning of 2026. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has also been included on the list for the first time; reasons cited include the detention of staff from the website *Matsaddash* and the closure of the outlet *Mada Masr*.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan appear in the "Law" category. Reporters Without Borders links their inclusion to their use of legal proceedings against media outlets and journalists.

RSF Director-General Thibaut Bruttin described the list as a kind of "anti-award" for the most serious attacks on the press. He explained that the organization includes politicians and entities that demonstrate a clear intent to persecute the media through violence, intimidation, legal mechanisms, digital manipulation, and financial pressure.

Bidzina Ivanishvili also appeared in a similar RSF report for 2025. At that time, the organization likewise linked his inclusion to the pressure exerted on independent Georgian media.