According to the statement made at the press conference, it is clear that the goal of the group in question is to act informally and intimidate people critical of the government or to physically retaliate, - this is how the Young Lawyers Association responds to the establishment of a new movement by MMA fighter Giorgi Kartvelishvili with the aim of “protecting Georgian values and traditions”.

As GYLA notes, the group’s statement is in line with the positions expressed by high-ranking officials of the Georgian Dream” party, inciting violence.

According to the organization, violence by third parties against people critical of the government has been actively used in Georgia in previous years, during periods of active protests, and such attacks are often incited by supportive statements from state representatives or inadequate police response to the perpetrators.

“On July 27, 2026, MMA fighter Giorgi Kartvelishvili, together with his associates, held a briefing in Tbilisi at the office of the Georgian Federation of Journalists, where he announced the establishment of a new movement. According to the statement made at the press conference, it is clear that the goal of the group in question will be to act informally and intimidate or physically retaliate against people critical of the government. The creators of the group use disinformation, discrediting vocabulary that is common in government and pro-government narratives and declare that they are starting a fight “against people funded from abroad, who are in slavish obedience to external interests, and who have a perverted ideology and groups formed by them”.

The statement made by the group also clearly shows the violent nature of the group (“If the relevant environmental conditions leave us no other way, we will not be afraid of imprisonment”). In the same statement, they demand the release of Onise, an apology from Okriashvili and other comedians and an appeal to the prosecutor's office so that the prosecutor's office does not demand the imprisonment of the attacker of Onise Okriashvili. Otherwise, they threaten Onise Okriashvili and his colleagues. According to the statement: "Otherwise, if the public sees a reaction to their steps, and then fails to understand that they are crossing red lines, we will demand an answer for each action and comment that undermines the dignity of the Georgian nation."

The group's statement is in line with the positions that have been repeatedly expressed by senior officials of the Georgian Dream, inciting violence. For example, Georgian Dream MP Nino Tsilosani openly calls on the public to control expression and points to the "immediate response" announced by the newly formed group.

Violence by third parties against people critical of the government is actively taking place in Georgia used both in parallel with the spring and winter 2024 protests, as well as in the period after the 2024 protests. Such attacks are often incited by supportive statements from state representatives or inadequate police response to the perpetrators. In addition, ineffective investigation of violence by the state is problematic for both police and third-party violence. In some cases, high-ranking officials of the Georgian Dream openly appear as organizers of such campaigns.

Given all this, it is clear that the creation of a punitive group and its announcement of control over citizens’ expression are closely related to the previously normalized state violence. This demonstrates that in the country, along with the repressive enforcement of legislative mechanisms against free expression, assembly, and civic engagement, informal violence is also used.

It is worth noting that this type of informal formation of groups and participation in them is a particular threat to public safety and order. The criminal legislation of Georgia contains a number of norms against the formation of violent, illegal groups and prohibits both the formation and leadership of illegal formations, as well as joining such a formation, participation in it and/or carrying out other activities in favor of an illegal formation. It is also prohibited to form and lead a strong armed group with the aim of attacking an organization or an individual (banditry). It is prohibited to form/participate in a public association the activities of which involve violence against a person.

In addition, the formation of a group with the aim of attacking people/participation in it may constitute the organization/participation in group violence as provided for by the Criminal Code.

It is important that law enforcement agencies take all necessary measures provided for by law to prevent and suppress, if necessary, violence or intimidation of people for exercising their fundamental rights.

In addition, state representatives, as well as pro-government media outlets, must cease their usual practice of inciting violence, supporting perpetrators, or “marking” targets of violence through discrediting campaigns and disinformation.

It should be emphasized that the creation of punitive squads in Georgia since 2024, in parallel with the intimidation, persecution and systematic torture of people, as well as the deliberate narrowing of their legal space and the existence of political prisoners, is particularly alarming. When pro-government media actively participates in the targeting and demonization of people, this may also bear signs of incitement and complicity in violence. In addition, the strategic silence of state institutions and the formally, protracted investigation create an institutional environment that directly contributes to this violence,” reads the statement.