Formula TV presenter Vakho Sanaia, one of 14 people detained for blocking a road and wearing masks during a rally on October 18, has been sentenced to six days in jail. The Tbilisi City Court found him guilty of an administrative offense.

At the court hearing, the journalist emphasized that he was being accused of something at a time when "their regime has torn up the Constitution, beaten people, held political prisoners, and changed the country's foreign policy." He claimed that all human rights laws have already been violated.

"My duty is to be where the people who have been fighting for a year are. This cannot be artificial. I am confident that this struggle will end in our victory. Those people [representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs – ed.], who think they will move from one regime to another, will not be here after the regime is overthrown," Vakho Sanaia stated.

Earlier, the non-governmental organizations "Charter of Journalistic Ethics" and "Media Defense Coalition" demanded the TV presenter's release. They expressed solidarity with Sanaia, emphasizing that his detention constitutes a "gross violation of media and freedom of speech."

The NGOs note that such pressure on representatives of the free press has been systemic in recent years. The Charter believes that the media in Georgia have long been targeted by the ruling party. Specifically, the organization condemned recent legislative amendments that "restrict the space for freedom of speech and expression and virtually deprive citizens of the right to assemble and protest."