The Munich Security Conference (February 13–15) usually hosts important talks on global strategy. But the 2026 meeting saw a tense face-off between Azerbaijan’s leaders and a journalist in exile. The Aliyev government treated the conference as a carefully planned PR event. To control the message, they flew in a group of friendly journalists from outlets like AZTV, Real TV, and Public TV. This was a move to create a positive image of President Ilham Aliyev in a Western setting. This plan met a challenge in the form of Emin Huseynov, an independent journalist who heads the Institute for the Freedom and Safety of Journalists (IRFS). Huseynov, who lives in Switzerland, had accreditation that gave him access to the President. This access is something the Azerbaijani government usually prevents. The situation tested the regime’s tolerance. While state-approved reporters had easy access to create staged photo ops, Huseynov’s attempts to speak with the leadership were blocked through physical and tactical means to shield the President from outside questioning. Security perimeters are meant for physical safety in global diplomacy. In Munich, however, the Azerbaijani security team used these measures to censor. The perimeter became a moving barrier, not to protect the President from physical harm, but to quiet a critical voice whose questions threatened the government’s carefully crafted image. The actions against Huseynov involved pushing him back and blocking his view. Security officers, including one identified as Ceyhun, physically stopped the journalist from approaching the President. In another move, they used a large umbrella as a visual and physical block. This umbrella trick kept Huseynov from seeing and filming the President, shielding him from the journalist’s presence. It is worth noting that the security team acted with more restraint than they typically do in Baku, likely because of the Western cameras and the standards of the conference venue. Even with this coordination, the incident showed internal issues and a lack of competence within the Azerbaijani government. When these internal barriers broke down, Huseynov managed to get past the security and directly confront the President. This led to a brief but revealing exchange that exposed the real views of the Azerbaijani leadership. It was more than just a dismissive comment; it was an over-the-top reaction that exposed the limits of the regime’s carefully constructed international image. When Huseynov asked Aliyev about the crackdown on political opponents and the suppression of the press in Azerbaijan, the President responded by saying that “There is no independent media in the world.” This statement was a strategic whataboutism designed to weaken the idea of global journalism. By saying that no press is truly free, Aliyev tried to suggest that democratic systems are no different from his own authoritarian one. He used this argument to justify limiting the media in his country. If no press is truly free, then jailing journalists in Baku is just a local version of a global trend, and not a rights violation. It was a rare moment where Aliyev’s true thinking—that the press is just a tool of the state—was exposed to an international audience. The situation worsened on February 15 during an exchange between Huseynov and Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva. This was a serious breach of diplomatic rules, shifting from political disagreement to personal attacks. When questioned about Azerbaijan’s political climate, the Vice President asked for Huseynov’s name. Realizing who he was, Aliyeva stopped discussing politics and instead insulted him. She claimed that he hid in the Swiss Embassy in Baku dressed as a woman when he fled Azerbaijan in 2014. This unusual loss of composure by the Vice President was not spontaneous. It was a response to an investigation by Emin’s brother, the blogger Mehman Huseynov. Mehman had recently looked into the Aliyev family’s private affairs, questioning the citizenship and voting status of Alyona Aliyeva, the President’s daughter-in-law. To be accurate, the Vice President’s claims need to be considered alongside the facts of the 2014 crackdown. The events in Munich highlight a key conflict: the Azerbaijani government tried to use a Western democratic event to improve its image, but instead revealed its intolerance of dissent to the world. The government’s plan to bring a friendly press corps backfired. Their presence created the very press scrum that allowed Huseynov to force an unplanned interaction. The effort to discredit Huseynov did not end in Munich. After the conference, state-backed media outlets, especially Qafqazinfo, began a digital attack on his character using AI-created images. These fake photos, showing Huseynov in a dress, represent a second layer of government control, where physical blocking is followed by online attacks. In the end, the Munich incident shows a clear reality for Azerbaijani civil society. While the Aliyev government wants the prestige of global diplomatic events, it cannot accept the basic principles of those events—especially the accountability that comes from a free press. For Azerbaijani journalists in exile, the government’s security measures remain a constant threat, whether in Baku or at international summits.

Giorgi Bachiashvili, a former associate of Georgian Dream founder and billionaire Honorary Chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili, was unexpectedly released from prison, his lawyer confirmed to several media outlets. Bachiashvili had been sentenced in March 2025 to 11 years for embezzling a large sum of cryptocurrency from Ivanishvili and laundering the funds. He was arrested in May following what he said was his abduction from abroad involving then State Security Service head Anri Okhanashvili. The alleged abduction followed his escape from Georgia in March, when Bachiashvili cited “credible information” suggesting his life would be in danger if imprisoned. More to follow…

The Interior Ministry said 15 people were arrested on February 18 outside Tbilisi City Court during brawls that erupted amid a hearing in the high-profile murder case of businessman Levan Jangveladze. Video footage from the scene showed groups of men outside the court confronting each other loudly on the street, with one person striking a car and breaking its windshield. Police, mobilized in large numbers, dragged several individuals away and arrested them. People could be heard swearing at one another. The confrontation was reportedly between supporters of Jangveladze’s family and the Mikadze brothers, who are accused of organizing his contract killing. Similar tensions flared the previous day, though no arrests were reported. Levan Jangveladze, the brother of criminal underworld figure Merab Jangveladze, was shot dead in Tbilisi in March 2025. Former riot police officer Gela Udzilauri was sentenced in October to life imprisonment after being found guilty of intentional murder and contract killing for mercenary purposes. He admitted to the shooting but denied that it was premeditated or financially motivated. Several other individuals have been charged in the case, including Georgia’s former Prosecutor General Otar Partskhaladze, who is believed to hold Russian citizenship and is not residing in Georgia, as well as brothers Davit and Giorgi Mikadze, all accused of allegedly organizing the killing. While Giorgi Mikadze is in pretrial detention, his brother and Partskhaladze are wanted and charged in absentia. The Mikadze brothers and Merab Jangveladze are known figures in the criminal underworld, and the case is believed to stem from disputes among influential criminal groups. Today, the Mikadze brothers and Otar Partskhaladze were also charged in a separate case, accused of fraud and money laundering linked to alleged scam call centers. A total of 10 individuals were charged, including journalist Eliso Kiladze, who actively covered developments in the Jangveladze case. Also Read: * 03/02/2026 – Police Arrest 45 Over Links with ‘Thieves’ World’ * 03/02/2018 – Georgia to Criminalize Aiding ‘Thieves-in-Law’

The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), a monitoring body of the Council of Europe, has published a new report on Georgia following periodic visits carried out on November 18-29, 2024, and January 21-22, 2025. The report did not cover December 2024, when anti-government protests in Tbilisi intensified, and numerous allegations of excessive force and ill-treatment by law enforcement were reported. The report raised “serious concerns,” Secretary General of the Council of Europe Alain Berset wrote on X, “including allegations of police ill-treatment during the late-2024 demonstrations.” “Ill-treatment can never be justified,” he added, pledging to raise the findings with Georgian Dream Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili at the Human Rights Council, saying that the Council of Europe “stands ready to support reforms.” During its November visit, the CPT examined the treatment and safeguards afforded to persons in police custody, conditions in several prisons and three psychiatric hospitals, as well as progress in implementing previous recommendations. The January visit focused on detainees held at Prison No. 8 in Gldani (Tbilisi) in connection with demonstrations that had erupted on November 28, 2024, when Georgian Dream said it would suspend the EU integration process. The delegation also met with the representatives of the Special Investigation Service (SIS) to discuss investigations into alleged police ill-treatment. The body was abolished in May 2025 and absorbed into the Prosecutor’s Office, a move which the CPT expressed concern about, describing it as “alarming.” Police Establishments The CPT noted a sharp contrast in detainees’ accounts before and after November 29. “Throughout the visit, until and including 28 November 2024, the overwhelming majority of interviewed detained persons who were or had recently been in police custody stated that the police had treated them in a correct manner,” the report said. By contrast, after the November 29 demonstration, the delegation reported being “inundated with allegations of ill-treatment.” Most detainees interviewed in connection with the protests had “visible injuries, some of them severe and having necessitated urgent medical attention.” The report described a “clear pattern of police behavior” during demonstrations. According to testimonies, masked officers without visible identification carried out arrests in groups, “punching and kicking detained persons indiscriminately,” swearing at and threatening them even when they were not resisting and were already “fully under the control of the police.” Beatings were reportedly carried out repeatedly, and sometimes while detainees were handcuffed. In “almost all of the cases,” the report said, ill-treatment stopped once detainees were transferred to non-masked patrol or criminal police officers. However, the delegation also heard allegations that some detainees were later questioned without a lawyer present to force confessions or obtain information. The CPT reiterated its recommendation to the Georgian authorities to ensure that police only use force that is “absolutely necessary and proportionate” when apprehending people. The CPT stressed that “there can never be any justification” for violence against individuals already under police control. The CPT called on authorities to ensure that all masked or hooded officers deployed during demonstrations wear visible identification. Lawyers and Medical Access The delegation found that the notification of custody was generally carried out “quickly and systematically.” Most detainees reported having access to a lawyer, privately hired or state-appointed. However, in many cases, this right became effective sometimes only two or three days after detention. The CPT stressed that access to a lawyer must be fully effective “from the very moment” a person is required to remain with the police. The Committee called for clearer oral information on rights at apprehension and for “systematic full, unaltered electronic recording of all police interviews” to safeguard persons in police custody from ill-treatment, and recommended improved training for officers conducting interviews. Although detainees formally had the right to see a doctor, the CPT found that in practice, such access did not exist during the early stages of custody at police stations. Medical examinations were systematically performed only upon arrival at temporary detention isolators (TDIs), either by TDI medical staff or ambulance doctors, and included injury recording. Examinations conducted by TDI doctors were generally of “good quality,” unlike many carried out by ambulance doctors, the report said. The CPT said it is “very concerned” about the abolition of the Special Investigation Service (SIS) and the transfer of its functions back to the Prosecutor’s Office. It recalled that the creation of an independent body to investigate allegations of ill-treatment by law enforcement has long been recommended due to the “perceived lack of efficiency” of investigations conducted by the Prosecutor’s Office. Prison Establishments The delegation visited several penitentiary facilities, including Prisons No. 1 (Laituri), No. 2 (Kutaisi), No. 8 (Gldani), No. 15 (Ksani), and the Prison Hospital (No. 18). The report said the prison system was no longer overcrowded, but “localized overcrowding persisted.” Refurbished TDIs have been described as good, and “even excellent” in new facilities. However, only administrative detainees had access to outdoor exercise and showers. In older TDIs, “there was almost no access to natural light and multiple occupancy cells still had only partially screened sanitary annexes.” No allegations of physical ill-treatment by prison staff were received, the report said. Inter-prisoner violence was rare in closed prisons but more common in semi-open Prison No. 15, where low staffing and an open-cell regime persisted. The CPT criticized what it called “persistent influence of informal prisoner hierarchies” in semi-open facilities (“zonas”), citing overcrowding, intimidation, informal prisoner hierarchies, lack of activities, and very low staff levels. It urged authorities to take “decisive steps” to close and replace them with smaller, more manageable institutions. The Committee identified the lack of meaningful prison regimes as its “greatest concern.” In most prisons, inmates had no organized out-of-cell activities and were confined for up to 23 hours a day, the report said, noting that some prisoners spent months or years in solitary confinement with limited human contact and permanent CCTV surveillance. The report assessed health care as good, particularly for initial screening. However, mental health care remains problematic, and addiction treatment is largely limited to detoxification, without broader maintenance therapy options. All prisons visited were described as “severely understaffed.” At Prison No. 15 (Ksani), staff shortages led to reliance on certain prisoners “to assist them in performing custodial tasks,” a practice the CPT described as “totally unacceptable.” While disciplinary placements were not excessive, the frequent use of “de-escalation cells” appeared at times to function as a de facto punishment. The CPT stressed that they should be used only for agitated prisoners, for the shortest time, under medical authority. It reiterated that all prisoners should receive at least one hour of visiting time per week. Psychiatric Establishments The delegation visited the Tbilisi Mental Health Centre for the first time and carried out follow-up visits to psychiatric hospitals in Khelvachauri (Batumi) and Kutiri (Khoni). No allegations of physical ill-treatment by staff were reported, and inter-patient violence did not appear to be a “major problem.” Kutiri Hospital had undergone “comprehensive renovation” and offered “generally good living conditions,” while “major refurbishment” had taken place in Khelvachauri. In contrast, conditions at Tbilisi Psychiatric Hospital were described as “very poor,” with patients living in “extremely dilapidated rooms” and “degrading” conditions, requiring urgent improvement. Treatment remained predominantly medication-based, relying largely on first-generation antipsychotics, which may cause serious side effects. The CPT recommended reviewing prescribing practices and gradually shifting to newer-generation medications where appropriate. Psychosocial rehabilitation opportunities were very limited due to staff shortages. The Committee called for significantly increasing staffing levels, including psychologists, occupational therapists, nurses, and auxiliary staff, and improving access to outdoor exercise and activities. Although few “civil” patients were formally subject to involuntary placement, many “voluntary” patients were not allowed to leave locked wards unaccompanied and were sometimes subjected to restraints. The CPT concluded that many were de facto deprived of liberty without benefiting from the legal safeguards applicable to involuntary patients and called for urgent corrective action. Regarding compulsory psychiatric treatment for persons found to be criminally irresponsible, the CPT said legal provisions were generally respected, but recommended that reviews of forensic placements always include an independent expert opinion separate from the holding hospital. The CPT stressed that all psychiatric patients must be able to give free and informed consent to treatment and that authorities should systematically provide patients and families with information brochures on rights upon admission. “On a positive note,” the executive summary said, “the arrangements for patients’ contact with the outside world did not seem to pose any particular problems in practice, especially as regards family visits.” Georgian authorities provided information and outlined measures taken in response to the CPT’s report. Also Read: * 17/06/2025 – Abuse Allegations as Man Dies After Police Custody * 24/04/2025 – CoE Warns Post-Soviet Prison Hierarchies Persist, Citing Georgia in Regional Pattern * 06/06/2024 – CoE Report: Georgia Again Ranks Second in Europe’s Prison Population

Police arrested 97 people involved in organized crime over the past two days, including 81 engaged in drug dealing and drug-related schemes, in what Georgian Dream Interior Minister Geka Geladze described as a “large-scale” and “very successful” operation. According to Geladze, who spoke about the operation at a February 18 briefing, police seized a “particularly large quantity of various types of narcotic substances,” including heroin, cocaine, alpha-PVP, Suboxone, and buprenorphine, along with materials allegedly used for packaging and cultivating drugs and cash believed to have been obtained from drug sales. Both Georgian and foreign citizens were arrested. According to Geladze, the detainees included a Latvian citizen who attempted to bring “more than half a kilogram of cocaine” into Georgia, as well as two Iranian citizens linked to a “drug laboratory” he said had been set up in a residential apartment in Tbilisi, where “up to half a kilogram of methamphetamine” was seized. Additionally, 16 people were arrested over firearms, as Geladze said that “dozens of firearms, including automatic weapons and hand grenades,” were seized. The detainees face multiple charges and could receive sentences of up to 20 years or life in prison. In his concluding remarks, Geladze warned potential offenders, saying, “There is no argument that can protect a criminal from punishment.” He added, “On behalf of the Georgian government and all law enforcement agencies, we promise the public that our country will achieve some of the world’s most successful results in fighting crime.” Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, speaking to the disputed Parliament under an interpellation procedure, thanked Geladze and law enforcement for what he described as their “impressive” results in tackling organized and drug-related crimes. The arrests follow the Georgian Dream government’s stated “uncompromising” fight against drug-related and organized crime, corruption, and illegal migration. At the end of 2025, the Interior Ministry said it had arrested more than 5,000 people for drug-related offenses over seven months, including 2,000 involved in drug dealing, and vowed to continue its crackdown on drugs. Also read: * 22/01/2026 – Police Make ‘Unprecedented’ 88 Arrests in Drug Crackdown * 12/12/2025 – Authorities to Create Centralized Mental Health Database Amid Rights, Stigma Concerns * 03/07/2025 – GD Bans Drug Replacement Therapy, Psychotropic Imports for Private Sector * 02/07/2025 – Georgian Dream Criminalizes Small Marijuana Possession

Ten people, including journalist Eliso Kiladze and Georgia’s former prosecutor general, Otar Partskhaladze, are facing criminal prosecution on fraud and money-laundering charges linked to alleged scam call centers, the Prosecutor General’s Office announced on February 18. The announcement followed the morning arrest of journalist Eliso Kiladze, editor-in-chief of Cnews and Kronika+ media outlets.  Prosecutor Mikheil Sadradze said charges have been filed in absentia against former Prosecutor General Otar Partskhaladze, who is no longer in Georgia and reportedly holds Russian citizenship, as well as Davit Mikadze, Irakli Sekhniashvili, and Mikheil Chokheli. Davit Mikadze’s brother, Giorgi Mikadze, who is also charged, is jailed in a separate case over the alleged contract and organized killing of businessman Levan Jangveladze. Otar Partskhaladze and Davit Mikadze are also charged in absentia in the Jangveladze case, which journalist Eliso Kiladze closely covered.  The other four individuals charged in the new case are Givi Jibladze, Ben Anor, Tornike Janelidze, and Giorgi Kamladze. Prosecutor Sadradze said they “cooperated effectively with the investigation and not only admitted to the crimes committed but also substantially contributed to uncovering the transnational crime.” He added that, taking into account their cooperation with the investigation, the prosecution is requesting bail for them while seeking pretrial detention for the other defendants. All face nine to twelve years in prison. More to follow…

The Munich Paradox: Diplomacy and the Personal Attack The Munich Security Conference (MSC) is known as a place where global leaders meet to talk about world stability. But between February 13 and 15, 2026, the conference showed something different: how a government can try to destroy someone’s reputation. While world leaders talked about serious problems, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva were bothered by issues they were trying to hide at home. It’s ironic that they attended a conference about international security while limiting the freedom and safety of their own journalists. This happened in a European country and showed that the regime is worried about its power. The conflict over Azerbaijan’s future moved from the streets of Baku to a confrontation between the Aliyevs and exiled journalist Emin Huseynov. The Confrontation: Silence, Security, and Scorn In a healthy country, journalists should be able to question leaders. In Munich, Azerbaijan failed this test badly. On February 14, Emin Huseynov, who had to leave Azerbaijan because of the regime’s actions, tried to ask President Ilham Aliyev a question. Instead of a normal discussion, the President’s security team stopped journalists and pushed Huseynov away so only government supporters could get close. When Huseynov asked about the crackdown on people who disagree with the government, Aliyev said that there is no independent media in the world. The next day, the situation got worse, and it became a personal attack. When Huseynov asked Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva about the political situation in Azerbaijan on February 15, she reacted with anger. First, she acted like she didn’t know him, asking, Who are you? Then, when he said who he was, she insulted him, saying he was the man who hid in the Swiss Embassy dressed as a woman. She ended by saying, I wish you good health. This wasn’t just an emotional reaction; it was a plan to avoid responsibility by using a false story from the past. Taking Apart the Woman in a Dress Story Governments that don’t allow dissent often try to ruin the reputation of their critics. By using the woman in a dress story, the Vice President showed the regime’s outdated views about gender, using clothing to shame someone and revealing the state’s hidden prejudice. However, the truth about Huseynov’s escape from being kidnapped in 2014 is a story of survival, not a scandal. The 2014 State Raid: In August 2014, police in Azerbaijan raided the Institute for the Freedom and Safety of Journalists (IRFS), which Huseynov led. The organization had become a problem for the ruling family. The Failed US Asylum: Huseynov first tried to get help from the US Embassy but was turned away, so he had to find another way to escape. The Actual Disguise: To get past the police in Baku on August 18, 2014, Huseynov didn’t wear a dress. He dyed his hair and beard, wore colored contact lenses, and spoke only English to pretend to be Swiss. The Diplomatic Resolution: He stayed at the Swiss Embassy for 10 months until an agreement was made between Switzerland and Azerbaijan, allowing him to move to Geneva. Since then, the regime has used its media, like Qafqazinfo, to share fake AI-generated photos of Huseynov in a dress. They are using these fake images to hide real corruption, which is common for the Aliyev-Pashayev family, and to distract people from the important investigations being done by the Huseynov family. The Alena Connection: The Strategic So What? The Vice President’s anger in Munich wasn’t because of something that happened years ago. It was caused by current worries about the family’s power. The anger was meant to protect them from the investigations of Mehman Huseynov (Emin’s brother), whose reporting has exposed the ruling family’s secrets. By revealing the illegal activities of Alena Aliyeva, the President’s daughter-in-law, Mehman has questioned the legitimacy of the next generation of the dynasty. The specific issues in the Alena Aliyeva investigation include: Citizenship and Residency Fraud: Alena voted in the September 2024 elections, but Azerbaijani law says you must live in the country for five years to be a citizen. Since she married Heydar Aliyev Jr. in late 2022, she couldn’t legally vote. Foreign Financial Footprint: Investigators found bank records showing that Alena made financial transfers as a Ukrainian citizen, which goes against the claim that she is an Azerbaijani citizen. The Deserter Context: The investigation also angered the Vice President because it claimed that her son, Heydar Aliyev Jr., avoided military service, which is expected of other Azerbaijani citizens. The insult in Munich backfired. By trying to shame the Huseynovs, the Vice President actually brought attention to their work, exposing the corruption she wanted to hide. It was a conflict between two forces: the Aliyev-Pashayev family’s power and the Huseynov brothers’ fight for transparency. Beyond the Insult: The State of Independent Truth The incident in Munich shows that the government believes that independent media is impossible. This regime sees a microphone as a weapon and a question as an act of treason. The actions of officials in Munich show the state’s war on truth: Total Denial: Ilham Aliyev claims that independent media doesn’t exist, which he uses to justify stopping any opposing voices in the country. Character Assassination: Mehriban Aliyeva uses fake stories to discredit the people asking questions when the truth is too dangerous to admit. Professional Gatekeeping: Presidential Aide Hikmet Hajiyev acts as the last line of defense, telling Huseynov, I do not consider you independent media. You should be ashamed. Conclusion: The Price of a Question The Munich incident in 2026 is more than just a personal fight; it shows how weak the Aliyev regime is. When a government uses fake images, stops journalists on foreign soil, and makes personal insults at an international conference, it has already lost the argument. The Huseynov brothers’ strength shows that the truth can’t be bought, even with a country’s wealth.

A new European Union discussion paper on concessions Russia should make in Ukraine talks, seen by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, includes a demand that Moscow withdraw its troops from neighboring countries, including Georgia, as part of a broader settlement to end the war in Ukraine. Titled European Core Interests in Ensuring a Comprehensive, Just and Lasting Peace and Continent’s Security, the paper calls for a “ban of Russian military presence and deployments in Belarus, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Georgia and Armenia,” RFE/RL Europe editor Rikard Jozwiak wrote in his weekly newsletter. Russian forces have been stationed for decades in Georgia’s occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia), as well as in Transdniester in Moldova, Armenia, and Belarus. The paper reportedly stresses that if Ukraine is expected to limit troop numbers or withdraw forces from some areas – as discussed in U.S.-mediated talks – Russia should do the same. It also says there should be no formal recognition of occupied Ukrainian territories, reflecting the EU’s long-standing non-recognition policy that also applies to Georgia’s occupied regions. It further urges Russia to stop disinformation, sabotage, cyberattacks, airspace violations, and election interference in Europe and neighboring countries – issues that have often affected Georgia. According to Jozwiak, EU High Representative Kaja Kallas has already shared the paper with member states. In addition to troop withdrawals, it calls on Russia to pay reparations and take steps toward democratizing its society. The bloc’s foreign ministers may discuss parts of the paper in Brussels on February 23. Neither the EU nor individual European countries have taken part in the ongoing negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. The paper, however, emphasizes that there can be no peace or security “without the EU at the negotiating table and without taking into account [the] EU’s core interests.”

Georgia’s Prosecutor General’s Office announced the closure of the investigation into the murder of Niko Kvaratskhelia, founder of Georgia’s first online content-sharing platform Feedc, saying brothers Guram and David Kakulia, along with Besarion (Busa) Zhvania, son of the late Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania, organized the killing. Kvaratskhelia, 22, was fatally shot in Tbilisi in 2021. The case drew widespread public attention. In 2023, then-President Salome Zurabishvili posthumously awarded him the Medal of Honor. Tbilisi Prosecutor Giorgi Mikaia said on February 17 that the Interior Ministry investigation found the Kakulia brothers planned the killing “in revenge” against his father, Gia Kvaratskhelia, the “so-called thief-in-law,” [a term denoting criminal underworld bosses] and “to strengthen their authority in the criminal underworld.” According to Mikaia, the father of the Kakulia brothers – “so-called thief-in-law Davit Kakulia” – was killed in Moscow in 2001, and “information had circulated within the ‘thieves’ underworld’ and the wider public that the killing had allegedly been commissioned by Gia Kvaratskhelia.” “Guram and David Kakulia told their friend Besarion Zhvania about their plan and agreed to organize the killing,” the prosecutor said, adding that Zhvania then contacted Aleko Chelidze and Giorgi Kaviladze to carry it out. Besarion Zhvania is the son of Zurab Zhvania, Georgia’s Prime Minister from 2004 to 2005, who was found dead under mysterious circumstances in 2005. Aleko Chelidze and Giorgi Kaviladze are already serving 17 and 16-year prison sentences for the intentional killing. The Kakulia brothers are serving nine years for a separate attempted murder case. Meanwhile, Besarion Zhvania has been declared wanted. His mother, Nino Kadagidze-Zhvania, said the charges were “very unexpected.” She said he was a childhood friend of one of the Kakulia brothers, but denied any involvement or knowledge of the murder plan. The three face up to 20 years or life in prison. “Nothing is new to me,” Kvaratskhelia’s mother, Iza Omadze, said after announcing the charges. She suggested in 2022, when the Kakulia brothers were arrested in a separate case, that they were the organizers of her son’s killing. The Prosecutor’s Office had not previously linked them to the case. Also Read: * 09/01/2026 – Family of Killed Teacher Questions Probe, Seeks Tougher Charges, Prosecutor’s Resignation * 24/10/2025 – Former Law Enforcer Handed Life Sentence Over Levan Jangveladze’s Contract Killing

Levan Davitashvili, Georgia’s former Economy Minister under the Georgian Dream government, and Giorgi Chikovani, former general director of the state-owned Georgian Gas and Oil Corporation, have been summoned for questioning by the Anti-Corruption Agency in the State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG). The SSSG confirmed media reports and told Civil.ge on February 17 that the two are being questioned “as part of an ongoing investigation into a contract signed with one of the major oil companies.” The agency did not provide further details. Davitashvili served as economy minister from 2022 until June 2025, when Mariam Kvrivishvili replaced him and now holds the post. He was appointed chief adviser on economic affairs to Georgian Dream PM Irakli Kobakhidze and secretary of the Economic Council, a coordinating body chaired by the prime minister. Davitashvili also chairs the board of Black Sea Petroleum, which operates the Kulevi oil terminal on Georgia’s Black Sea coast. The oil terminal has recently come under scrutiny for its possible role in facilitating Russian oil exports. This is an ongoing story and may be updated. Also Read: * 12/01/2026 – Ex-Prime Minister Garibashvili to Serve Five Years in Prison After Plea Deal * 23/07/2025 – Georgian Dream Resignation Streak: Who Left and Why * 26/04/2025 – Davitashvili Visits United States, Participates in World Bank, IMF Spring Meetings * 25/04/2025 – Davitashvili Stresses “Positive Agenda” in Relations with New US Administration * 01/04/2025 – GD Minister of Economy Davitashvili Meets with US Ambassador Dunnigan

Georgian Dream Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili visited Slovakia on February 16, where she met with Juraj Blanár, Slovakia’s Minister of Foreign and European Affairs. Following the meeting, the two ministers held a joint press conference in which Blanár announced that Slovakia’s Prime Minister, Robert Fico, will visit Tbilisi and that Slovakia proposed Georgia’s candidacy for the chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The Slovakia visit followed Botchorishvili’s earlier trip to Hungary on February 9–10, where she met with Hungary’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Péter Szijjártó, and Speaker of the National Assembly, László Kövér. From February 13 to 15, Maka Botchorishvili also attended the 62nd Munich Security Conference (MSC). Hungary under Viktor Orbán and Slovakia under Robert Fico are among the Georgian Dream’s few Western partners, with visits and high-level exchanges taking place regularly. The two countries have reportedly been the only EU members to vote against suspending visa-free travel for Georgian diplomatic passport holders under the bloc’s new legal mechanism. Meeting with FM Juraj Blanár On February 16, Maka Botchorishvili met with her Slovakian counterpart, Juraj Blanár. According to the Georgian Foreign Ministry, “the parties discussed current issues in bilateral relations and prospects for deepening cooperation,” and “emphasis was placed on active dynamics of political dialogue and bilateral visits.” The two also discussed expanding trade and economic relations and “fully leveraging the existing potential,” as well as Georgia’s European integration process, with Botchorishvili highlighting that “Slovakia’s steadfast support for Georgia’s European aspirations is particularly valuable.” The press release also said the ministers addressed regional security challenges, including the situation in Georgia’s occupied territories. “The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovakia once again reaffirmed Slovakia’s support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.” Press Conference After the meeting, the two ministers held a joint press conference and spoke in their native languages. Botchorishvili praised the bilateral relations, saying Slovakia “has always been an important partner for Georgia.” She added that the two governments “fully understand how important it is to protect the sovereignty of our nations.” She further said, “We very often hear criticism precisely because of our sovereign decisions, and in this regard, we believe that our cooperation is very important, and that protecting sovereignty is the only means available to us today to ensure peace and stability in our countries.” In his remarks, translated from Slovak into Georgian, Slovakia’s FM Blanár said that the Speaker of Parliament as well as the Prime Minister are planning visits to Tbilisi “in the near future,” without giving a specific date. He also praised Georgia’s economic growth, saying, “Georgia has 7% economic growth. What wouldn’t we give to have the same! Let me congratulate you.” Blanár then said that the Slovak side “raised the issue of Georgia becoming the OSCE chairmanship country,” noting, “Georgia can make a significant contribution to security issues. Therefore, we welcome Georgia’s candidacy.” The Slovak foreign minister then criticized what he described as the European Union’s approach to Georgia’s election processes. “There is such injustice in the European Union when the side they do not favor wins elections,” he said, adding that the bloc and its partners “speak a lot about democracy, but some are unable to respect election results. We are obliged to respect elections.” He also said there were discussions within the EU about potential sanctions on Georgia, amid reports that the bloc may include Kulevi port in its 20th sanctions package against Russia. Blanár said Slovakia had questions but did not receive answers. “What matters most is dialogue. From Georgia’s side, I see a willingness to engage in dialogue. The European Union is founded on dialogue and respect, and Georgia should be part of this dialogue. Georgia must be treated with due respect,” Blanár said. Also Read: * 05/12/2025 – Georgian Dream FM Botchorishvili Attends OSCE Ministerial in Vienna * 13/06/2025 – Kobakhidze, GD Ministers, Visit Hungary * 24/03/2025 – GD FM Botchorishvili Visits Hungary

Communications Commission (ComCom), Georgia’s state media regulator, has launched administrative proceedings against the critical broadcaster Kavkasia TV over a donation from the United States that the station’s director said came from a person with a Georgian name. The TV channel regularly solicits donations publicly. In a February 16 Facebook post, Nino Jangirashvili, director of Kavkasia TV, published a letter from the ComCom that cites Georgia’s Law on Broadcasting, which prohibits broadcasters from receiving funding from a “foreign force.” She said the donation came from a person with a Georgian name and surname, whom she does not know and who may be a dual or former Georgian citizen, and described the state regulator’s move as an attempt to intimidate the channel. Georgian broadcasters are subject to a ban on foreign funding, except for commercial transactions, under laws adopted in 2025 by the Georgian Dream-led parliament. Kavkasia TV has been asked to clarify the nature of the donation. “What should we answer them?” Jangirashvili wrote. “What service did we provide to the donor? What invoice did we send? Or what did we spend it on? Maybe we paid for electricity or covered salaries. I don’t know. What else could we have done with the money?” The move comes amid growing pressure and financial difficulties for critical media outlets. In early February, regional Trialeti TV said its satellite broadcasting was halted due to what it described as a financially induced crisis caused by systematic pressure from the authorities. It also comes amid broader efforts by the Georgian Dream government to restrict foreign funding. The GD MPs in the disputed Parliament are now passing amendments that would expand the definition of foreign grants requiring state approval, introduce criminal liability and prison sentences for violations, allow prosecution of leaders of parties receiving foreign funds, criminalize “external lobbying,” and impose new restrictions on political party members and entrepreneurs. Also Read: * 29/01/2026 – Ex-Georgian Dream MP Goga Gulordava Elected Chair of Communications Commission * 16/01/2026 – Regulator Warns Formula TV Over Alleged UNM Funding * 30/12/2025 – TI-Georgia: ‘Significant Disproportion’ in Ad Revenues Favors Pro-Gov’t Channels * 30/10/2025 – How Georgian Dream Is Drying Out Independent Online Media

Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava won Georgia’s first-ever Winter Olympic medal after claiming silver in the pairs figure skating event at the Milano Cortina Games. Metelkina and Berulava finished the competition on February 16 with 221.75 points, securing second place. Japan’s Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara won gold with 231.24 points, while Germany’s Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin took bronze with 219.09 points. Also Read: * 12/08/2024 – Georgia Finishes Paris 2024 Olympics with Seven Medals * 09/08/2021 – Georgia Finishes Tokyo Olympics with Record 8 Medals

The Baku Court of Appeals rejected the appeal to extend the arrest of Ali Karimli, leader of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan. The opposition politician released a statement denying the charges against him.

The Dagestan Prosecutor's Office has approved the indictment in a criminal case against an Azerbaijani citizen. He is accused of espionage for Ukraine.

Money transfers from abroad to Georgia totaled USD 282.64 million in January, a 16.6% increase from the same month last year, according to data released by the National Bank of Georgia (NBG). Transfers from European Union countries and the United States remained the largest, together accounting for 63.8% of total inflows, or USD 180.4 million. Transfers from EU countries totaled USD 128.41 million, representing 45.43% of overall inflows and a 17.46% increase compared to January 2025. By individual countries, Italy ranked first with USD 53.18 million (18.82% of total inflows), followed closely by the United States with USD 52.04 million (18.41%). Russia accounted for USD 33.51 million (11.86%), Israel for USD 24.66 million (8.72%), and Germany for USD 24.11 million (8.53%). China recorded the sharpest year-on-year growth, with transfers increasing nearly 16 times to USD 1.43 million. Growth was also reported from the United Kingdom, up 44.6% to USD 4.91 million; Tajikistan, up 41% to USD 1.14 million; Spain, up 40.3% to USD 7.4 million; and Russia, where inflows rose by 31.6%. By contrast, Kyrgyzstan saw the biggest decline, with transfers falling 34.2% year-on-year to USD 4.07 million. Meanwhile, money transfers from Georgia totaled USD 31.2 million in January 2026, up 10.2% from USD 28.3 million in January 2025. According to the World Bank’s 2024 data, personal remittances to Georgia account for 11.9% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). Also Read: * 26/01/2026 – Money Transfers to Georgia Rise 18% in December, EU and U.S. Remain Top Sources * 26/12/2025 – Money Transfers to Georgia Up 11.9% in November, EU and U.S. Lead * 26/11/2025 – EU, U.S. Top Money Transfers to Georgia in October

The ruling Georgian Dream party plans to punish “systematic” non-recognition of the government with up to three years in prison and to introduce such refusal as an aggravating circumstance in certain crimes under Georgia’s Criminal Code. The relevant changes, presented on February 16 at the Legal Issues Committee in the disputed Parliament by the committee chair Archil Gorduladze, will be added to a highly controversial legislative package introducing further restrictions on foreign grants, which has already passed first reading. The idea to criminalize refusal to recognize the legitimacy of the government and other constitutional bodies was first floated during a February 4 parliamentary plenary hearing, where MPs cited Germany’s experience. The ruling party leaders later referenced the 2025 banning of Germany’s far-right Reichsbürger movement, apparently framing opposition groups’ and citizens’ questioning of the Georgian Dream government’s legitimacy as analogous to the case. During the February 16 committee hearing, MP Archil Gorduladze read out the proposed Article 316 Prima to Georgia’s Criminal Code, titled “Extremism Against the Constitutional Order.” The draft article, as read out by Gorduladze, will target Georgian citizens or non-citizens who make “systematic and public calls” for “the mass violation of legislation, mass defiance of Georgian government bodies, or the creation of alternative authorities.” It will also target individuals “who systematically and publicly present themselves, or another person, as a representative of the Georgian government.”  The article will further target “other systematic actions aimed at creating the perception that Georgia’s constitutional order or its constitutional bodies are illegitimate, and that harm Georgia’s interests or create a real danger to harm those interests.” According to Gorduladze, penalties under the article could include a fine, the amount of which he did not specify, 400 to 600 hours of community service, or up to three years in prison. Gorduladze said the key factors in classifying actions as such an offense are that they are “systemic, systematic, and public.” “A single person’s actions, of course, will not be considered a criminal offense,” he said, arguing that this approach will draw a “clear line” between freedom of speech and expression and criminal activity. In addition, such a refusal to recognize the legitimacy of constitutional bodies will become an aggravating circumstance for other offenses in the Criminal Code. “When imposing a sentence, committing a crime with the motive of refusing to recognize Georgia’s constitutional order or constitutional bodies will be considered an aggravating circumstance,” Gorduladze said, noting that the sentence must exceed the standard term for the relevant crime by “at least” one year. Commenting on the draft article, Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze drew a parallel between Russia and what he called “extremist forces” inside the country. “Russia and four other countries do not recognize the Georgian government’s jurisdiction over 20 percent of the country’s territory,” he said, “and in Georgia, there are extremist forces that do not recognize the government’s jurisdiction over 100 percent of the country’s territory.” “We oppose both,” he added, “In the first case through the Law on Occupation, and in the second through a clause on extremism in the Criminal Code.”  The Georgian Parliament, formed after the widely contested 2024 general elections, remains disputed. The Georgian Dream government that stayed in power and President Mikheil Kavelashvili, elected by a parliament made up only of Georgian Dream MPs at the time, are also challenged. Many opposition parties and opposition-minded citizens continue to reject their legitimacy. In comments to journalists, Irakli Kobakhidze also defended the 2024 election results, saying claims that they were rigged were “without any evidence.” “There was no violation,” he asserted. “The elections were carried out legitimately. When there is no evidence of election rigging, but sabotage continues, and when extremism against the constitutional order persists, legislation must respond to it,” he added.  Meanwhile, Georgia’s Public Defender said the proposed offense “could conflict with both international standards protecting freedom of expression and the Georgian Constitution, and could allow for an overly broad interpretation of the imposed restrictions.” The Ombudsperson added that he will review the final version of the law once it is adopted and, if necessary, may file a lawsuit in the Constitutional Court. Also Read: * 03/06/2025 – Georgian Dream Targets Critical Broadcasters for Questioning Government Legitimacy

The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA), a local human rights watchdog, has initiated legal proceedings on behalf of seven citizens who say they were harmed by substances allegedly mixed into water cannons during the dispersal of pro-EU protests in November and December 2024, addressing the Prosecutor’s Office through appropriate communication. Riot police used tear gas, pepper spray, and water cannons to disperse pro-EU and anti-government protests in late 2024, after which several protesters reported prolonged health problems, including headaches, fatigue, coughing, shortness of breath, and vomiting. On December 1, 2025, the BBC published an investigation suggesting that a “World War I-era” military-grade chemical agent, “camite,” may have been mixed into water cannons. Georgian Dream, including through an investigation by the State Security Service, has denied the allegations and challenged the BBC’s findings. In a February 16 statement, GYLA said the mixing of chemical irritants into water cannons in Georgia is “not clearly regulated,” noting that neither the Law on Police nor Interior Ministry instructions establish rules for such a practice. It added that a 2015 ministerial order prohibited the simultaneous use of water cannons, rubber bullets, and tear gas, but that the restriction was later removed “without introducing additional standards of legality.” “Water cannons saturated with chemical irritants cannot be considered a ‘legally defined’ lawful means of crowd control and contradict both national and convention requirements that the use of force be a legal, necessary, and proportionate intervention,” the organization stressed. GYLA said it is providing legal representation to seven people who continue to suffer from health issues, which they link to an alleged substance mixed into water cannons. The organization also said it had requested that the Prosecutor’s Office provide information on the progress of the investigation, question the injured parties, assess whether mixing substances into water cannons constitutes a criminal offense, carry out “all necessary investigative actions” to identify those responsible, and grant victim status to the injured individuals. The ruling Georgian Dream party dismissed the BBC’s allegations. Officials admitted to mixing a substance into water cannons but denied that it was camite or any other banned chemical. Shortly after the BBC report, the State Security Service of Georgia opened an investigation into alleged abuse of office and “assistance to a foreign organization in hostile activities.” Within five days, the SSSG concluded that police had used chlorobenzylidene malononitrile (CS gas), a commonly used tear-gas agent for crowd control, during protests over the years, including on December 4-5, 2024. In January, Georgian Dream filed a complaint with the BBC over what it described as “grave, damaging, and categorical” allegations, warning it may pursue legal action in UK courts. On February 13, Formula TV cited a BBC spokesperson as saying that the broadcaster had already responded to the complaint and stands by the documentary. Georgian Dream said it plans to appeal in higher instances. Also Read: * 10/12/2025 – Kobakhidze Says UK Must Apologize Over BBC Report, Slams Ambassador * 22/12/2025 – CSOs Appeal to International Watchdogs to Review Alleged Use of Chemicals at 2024 Protests * 17/12/2025 – CoE Commissioner Presses Georgian Prosecutors on Accountability for Protest Crackdown * 04/12/2025 – Helsinki Commission Urges U.S. to Verify BBC Report, Sanction Those Responsible

Turkish authorities have deported Gultekin Hajibeyli, a representative of the National Council of Democratic Forces of Azerbaijan. According to opposition figures, she remains at large in Azerbaijan.

Georgian Dream Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili is taking part in the 62nd Munich Security Conference (MSC), a major international forum devoted this year to issues such as U.S.-European security ties, Greenland’s fate, and Russia’s war in Ukraine. According to the Georgian Foreign Ministry’s press release, Botchorishvili will be meeting with her counterparts and participating in a panel discussion. Her trip to Munich comes after last year’s absence, as none of the Georgian Dream government officials had been invited to the 61st MSC. This year, Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze confirmed that Tbilisi had received an invitation, though he said he would not personally attend the event. For Georgia, the party founded by Giorgi Gakharia, a former Georgian Dream prime minister and now an opposition politician in exile, also announced that the ex-PM would be attending the conference. Panel Discussion on ‘Eurasia’s Strategic Order’ According to the Georgian MFA, Botchorishvili took part in the panel discussion “Defining Eurasia’s Strategic Order: The Middle Corridor as a European Security Agenda for Stability, Peace, Security and Connectivity,” alongside Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and Odile Renaud-Basso, President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). “The Minister focused on Georgia’s role in the development of the Middle Corridor and underscored the importance of strengthening connectivity. She highlighted a strategic vision that conceives the Middle Corridor not merely as a transportation route, but as a secure, rapid and efficient economic bridge,” the Foreign Ministry said. According to the MFA, “particular emphasis was placed on Georgia’s strategic geographic location and its open economic policy, which position the country as a central hub linking Europe and Asia.” Discussion on EU Enlargement According to the Georgian Foreign Ministry, Botchorishvili also took part in a roundtable discussion on the EU enlargement, which “brought together European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, as well as the Foreign Ministers of European Union member states and candidate countries.” “The discussion focused on the ongoing enlargement process of the European Union, the challenges currently facing it and future steps,” the MFA reported. Meetings with OSCE Secretary General and OSCE Chairperson-in-Office During the MSC, Botchorishvili met with Ignazio Cassis, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of the Swiss Confederation. According to the Georgian MFA, “particular attention during the meeting was devoted to the security environment in the region,” including highlighting the situation in Georgia’s occupied territories, “as well as Switzerland’s role as a mediator in Georgia-Russia relations.” The Foreign Ministry reported that Botchorishvili and Cassis also discussed the agenda of the current OSCE Chairpersonship, “with a focus on strengthening dialogue, peace and stability.” It also said that “the parties discussed ongoing developments in Georgia, as well as the country’s foreign and domestic policy priorities,” and that Botchorishvili invited Cassis to Georgia. #OSCE26CH | At @MunSecConf I met with Georgian FM @MakaB__. We discussed the role of the @OSCE as an inclusive platform for #dialogue, as well as its instruments to strenghten #trust and #security in the region. pic.twitter.com/QPKcGr9t86— Ignazio Cassis (@ignaziocassis) February 13, 2026 On February 14, Botchorishvili also met with OSCE Secretary General Feridun Sinirlioğlu on the MSC sidelines. According to the MFA press release, “particular attention was devoted to the situation in Georgia’s occupied regions,” with Botchorishvili underscoring the importance of the Geneva International Discussions format and highlighting the OSCE’s engagement in the peaceful resolution of the conflict. “The parties also reviewed the situation in the region, including prevailing security challenges and possible avenues for addressing them,” the Georgian Foreign Ministry reported. Other Meetings During the conference, Botchorishvili held meetings with foreign ministers of various countries. On February 14, Georgian MFA reported that the GD foreign minister met with Argentinian Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno, with the parties discussing “current issues pertaining to bilateral and multilateral cooperation” and underscoring “the need to further intensify trade and economic partnership.” A similar meeting was held on February 13 with Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov, according to the MFA. “During the meeting, the parties reviewed issues of bilateral and multilateral cooperation. The discussion focused on the deepening of relations between the countries and on the importance of conducting high-level visits,” the Georgian Foreign Ministry reported. More to follow… Also Read: * 16/01/2026 – Georgia Again Not Invited to World Economic Forum in Davos * 15/02/2025 – Salome Zurabishvili Attends Munich Security Conference 2025

Aeschylus was the father of Greek tragedy, but he is said to have died in a rather funny way. Legend has it that, aware of a prophecy that he would meet his fate by a falling object, the tragedian avoided staying indoors. Even at night, he slept outside under the open sky. But he was bald, and when, one day, an eagle flew overhead carrying a tortoise, it mistook his bald head for a rock. The predator decided to smash the tortoise’s shell on the “rock” to enjoy the heavy meal more conveniently. Hit by the tortoise, Aeschylus died. The story may seem like another fatalistic lesson that there’s no escaping prophecy. But not everything must be written in the stars. It may be that if you protect yourself a little too much, lock yourself inside a shell like that tortoise, or, worse, stay outdoors like Aeschylus did and deny yourself the highest wisdom of staring at the ceiling, life may still hit you, and hit you precisely with that protective shell. --- Here is Nini and the Dispatch newsletter writing about the current Georgian obsession with oneness. --- Shortly before midnight on January 29, my neighborhood in Tbilisi was hit by a total blackout. Hardly a light disturbed the darkness as the silhouettes of apartment blocks, new and old, stood there, all in black. The only sign of life was the sound of dogs barking, made louder by this temporary death of the hum of civilization. It was perhaps in those magical moments that I must have developed a very useless talent: spotting American military planes by the sound of their engines. The neighborhood is among the places the planes cross after taking off from Tbilisi Airport, before choosing a destination. Planes here often take off at night — Georgians have long known and accepted that we are not important enough for international airlines to honor us in daylight. But that night, soon after the lights came back on, the roar was a bit too loud and too long. Even in the night sky, I noticed that the plane was indeed different. FlightRadar confirmed that it was that plane: the U.S. Air Force Lockheed Martin MC-130J Commando II, an American aircraft designed for infiltration, exfiltration, refueling, and clandestine operations. It is said to prefer night flights. The media had reported earlier that an “American plane” had landed in Tbilisi after arriving from Bucharest, where it had arrived from Ramstein U.S. Air Base, where it had arrived from a UK base. There was much thrill, but no context. All we knew was that there was some U.S. military buildup around Iran, and that Georgia’s ruling party declaredly dreaded any remote link with anyone else’s war. Now we were officially and proudly an avoidant country. What did the plane carry? Fuel? Weapons? Soldiers? A second front? A vice president who bypassed us on his Caucasus trip? A tortoise?  None of us knew, but it was the plane everyone was talking about, and I, of all people, was lucky to see it with my own eyes. Now, what was I supposed to do with that information? A strange day January 29 was a strange day for many reasons, and it had a strange start. Early in the morning, authorities announced plans to merge two of Georgia’s largest and historic higher education institutions: Tbilisi State University (TSU) and Georgian Technical University (GTU). Even for those well aware of the ruling party’s eccentricities, and even for those supportive of those eccentricities, the announcement came as a shock. Some attributed it to the government’s deliberate drive to destroy the education system. Others explained it with the stated wish to sell the campus buildings: the most absurd things become the most logical ones once you recall the country is run by businessmen. But maybe none of these explanations were true, and the merger was only the first, most physical act of how Georgia was adapting to a world gone mad. “For millennia, we’ve withstood similar ‘international orders,’ we went through numerous geopolitical cataclysms, and found our own way of survival,” the speaker of Georgia’s disputed parliament wrote in January as he pronounced an international order dead following the U.S. intervention in Venezuela. “It is precisely this knowledge that helped us retain our statehood while others disappeared,” he bragged. As more international crises followed, others in the ruling party team, too, kept citing “historical experience,” coming from our “wise kings and rulers,” of walking this “narrow bridge” safely every time the world order wasn’t world-ordering. What that survival wisdom actually meant, we would learn eventually. The trick was apparently for the country to merge itself into a single, homogeneous substance, a grey rock, not to stick out, not to provoke any predator’s attention. The loneliest number That’s how Georgian authorities must have developed a strange and obvious obsession with oneness. First came the higher education reforms that introduced the painful reorganization through “one city – one faculty” principle. Then followed general education reforms that reintroduced school uniforms and, similarly, proposed a “one-subject—one-textbook” model. Then the Georgian government suddenly discovered that despite all the economic boom, people could not afford basic groceries, and quickly concluded there were far too many supermarkets and pharmacies around, and began floating the idea of a “one neighborhood – one supermarket” model. One-party and one-man rule didn’t really need anyone’s introduction. We’ve lived in that pain for a while.  And just as the Georgian opposition kept failing at reaching the widely requested unity, even with so much at stake, the ruling party appeared to be taking the concept to new levels – to physical and even transcendental realms. They do have a point: in a world of dying orders and recklessly flying planes, anything that attracts the spotlight is dangerous. The universe itself, and the way God designed it, with all its Big Bangs and explosions, now seems a scary place. To spare ourselves the trouble, we have to contract ourselves back into a small and tight substance. Everything and everyone – from humans to buildings to supermarkets – must morph back into each other. A re-form. A Big Bounce. But one doesn’t go against the Creator’s will like that. Even the most obedient of humans can’t afford the discomfort of being pulled back from Big Bang inertia way too suddenly. Facing resistance even from the most supportive professors, the party had to scrap the plans to merge the two universities in February. But obsessions are hard to cure, and days later, Georgian officials still pushed alternative forms of dismantle-and-merge, this time focused on gutting the most defiant academic institutions first. Time will show how easily they’ll overcome the resistance. Falling objects Days after that first American plane took off from Tbilisi to an unknown destination, the word spread that another one had landed in the Georgian capital. On February 3, the press reported that a Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Super Hercules had arrived the previous night from Ramstein Air Base. The next afternoon, on February 4, at around 1 p.m., I again heard a strange but now familiar engine sound, and again spotted a grey military plane, this time in daylight. FlightRadar again confirmed: it was the Super Hercules, a tactical airlifter meant for diverse military missions. It was windy. The plane quickly vanished into the sky, and that was that. Nothing happened, not that day, nor in the days that followed. Thanks to some wisdom of our rulers, Georgia was spared once again, unknown from what trouble. The country went on living peacefully within its own domestically invented crises. What we may never know, however, is what it is that actually keeps shielding Georgia from falling objects in these chaotic times. Is it that Georgia has finally turned into a single, unnoticeable, colorless substance, hidden from roaming threats? Or are we spared precisely because the country has so far resisted reaching that homogeneous stage, where we might be, like the bald head of Aeschylus, easily mistaken for some grey rock by predators seeking to fatally smash their prey?

Vugar Gadirli, a member of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan, has declared a hunger strike in a detention center to protest his criminal prosecution. His family members say he is not receiving the medications he needs.

Ilham Aliyev stated that the attacks on Azerbaijan's diplomatic mission in Kyiv were deliberate. The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that this is not true, and that the Ukrainian leadership bears responsibility for the damage to the embassy buildings.

A Baku court has sentenced Emil Salim, head of the youth committee of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan, to 20 days in jail. His associates have called the arrest politically motivated.

Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze raised migration issues in a four-minute video address on Facebook, reviewing several data points and praising the government’s policies while vowing a further crackdown to “free” the country from illegal migrants in “several years.” “Migration is one of the issues that particularly troubles Georgian society,” Kobakhidze said in a February 13 video. “Against the backdrop of ongoing developments in Europe, public concern and interest in this issue are not only justified but, on the contrary, welcome,” he added, asserting that every “patriotic Georgian’s” wish is to “firmly defend and preserve the country’s national and religious identity.” He then reviewed several core migration-related data points. Citing preliminary results of the general population census, Kobakhidze said Georgia’s population stands at 3,914,000, of which foreigners, including illegal migrants, account for a maximum of 257,000, or 6.6%. Citing border-crossing data, he said that of the 257,000 foreigners, about 70%, or 180,000, are from what he called “post-Soviet” countries, as well as the EU, the United States, and Israel. He noted that at least 40,000 of them are former Georgian citizens or have Georgian surnames. Kobakhidze then said that Turkish nationals make up 7.4% of foreigners in Georgia, while Iranian citizens account for 3.7%. He added that, contrary to what he called “widespread speculation,” their share of the total population is just 0.7%. “From countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait, we practically have no migrants, which, unlike politicians preoccupied with speculation, should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with the situation,” Kobakhidze added. He then spoke about foreign students in the country, saying there are 37,000 in total, the majority from India. Arguing that students’ fees for studying and living in Georgia add GEL 300,000 to the country’s budget and noting that they have created more than 10,000 jobs, Kobakhidze defended the programs, saying, “Cancelling foreign student programs would cause significant losses to Georgia’s economy, budget, and employment rate.” He then also argued that foreign students leave Georgia once they graduate, “therefore, they pose no risk whatsoever to the country’s demographic profile.” Saying the situation is not as “some politicians” portray it, Kobakhidze said nevertheless that “much still needs to be refined and improved with regard to migration.” He said the government is “strengthening” the Migration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which he said “expelled more illegal migrants over the past year than had been expelled over the previous ten years.” “Strengthening the department will enable us to fully free the country from illegal migrants within a few years, whose number currently exceeds 20,000,” he added. Kobakhidze then mentioned new legal restrictions he said will take effect on March 1, limiting foreigners’ labor activity in Georgia, changes he said “will enable us to adequately protect both the interests of the country’s economy and our citizens.” He also credited the Georgian Dream government for the 2017 constitutional amendments that prohibited transferring agricultural land to foreign nationals. “Protecting and preserving Georgia’s national and religious identity is one of our top national priorities,” Kobakhidze said, “And the Georgian government will do everything to achieve it.” The statement comes amid Georgian Dream’s tightened migration laws and increasingly hardline rhetoric on illegal migration. In December 2025, Kobakhidze said Georgia expelled 1,131 illegal migrants that year, while pledging to expel at least 3,500 more in 2026. Also Read: * 26/08/2025 – Georgia’s Preliminary Census Data Suggests Tenfold Jump in Permanent Foreign Residents in Decade * 02/07/2025 – Georgian Dream Grants Interior Ministry Authority to Inspect Foreigners’ Homes, Workplaces * 02/06/2025 – 31 Foreign Nationals Expelled from Georgia