**Georgia’s Ruling Party Introduces Harsher Penalties**
The Georgian Dream party has announced changes to the country’s laws, making it easier for officials to crack down on opposition and protesters. The new rules will increase penalties for criticizing government officials, threatening violence against them, or using violence against police.
Government officials say these changes are necessary because of a “Deep State” plot to overthrow the government. Mamuka Mdinaradze, leader of the ruling party’s parliamentary group, says the country needs stricter laws to protect its leaders.
**Public Service Under Threat**
The Civil Service Bureau (CSB) will be abolished on April 1, 2025. Employees say this is an attempt to silence dissenting voices within the public service.
Opposition leader Nika Melia claims he was beaten up by a police officer after being arrested during a protest near Tbilisi Mall. His lawyer is demanding an investigation into the incident.
**Police Brutality on the Rise**
Representatives of the Public Defender’s Office visited 25 people detained on administrative charges and found that 22 reported cases of ill-treatment by police officers. Many had visible injuries, including 9 who said they were physically assaulted in a minibus.
**Investigative Journalism Under Threat**
iFact, a local media outlet focused on investigative journalism, published a report revealing that Russian oil reaches Europe through Georgia. This could have serious implications for the country’s relations with the EU and Russia.
The director of the First Channel, Kakha Melikidze, says the channel’s management asked him to show pro-government figures on air during live broadcasts of football matches. He was “summoned” after showing an image of President Salome Zurabishvili for a few seconds.
**Human Rights Watchdog Condemns Police Brutality**
The Social Justice Center calls on authorities to investigate cases of police brutality and hold senior officers accountable. More than 40 media outlets, including Civil.ge, have condemned the attack on online media Publika by the speaker of the GD parliament.