Freedom House downgrades Georgia’s internet rating to “Partly Free”
The organisation cites restrictions on online activism and criticism of the ruling Georgian Dream party, ending a “Free” rating held since 2012.
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The organisation cites restrictions on online activism and criticism of the ruling Georgian Dream party, ending a “Free” rating held since 2012.
Freedom House, a US-based non-governmental organisation, has downgraded Georgia’s internet freedom rating from “Free” to “Partly Free”, citing pressure on online activism and speech critical of the ruling Georgian Dream party. OC Media reported the findings on 23 October.
Georgia entered the organisation’s “Free” category in 2012 and retained it through the 2025 assessment. The 2026 edition of Freedom on the Net covers 1 June 2025 to 31 May 2026.
| Assessment year | Score out of 100 | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 70 | Free |
| 2026 | 68 | Partly Free |
Under Freedom House’s methodology, scores of 70–100 qualify as “Free”, while 40–69 fall into “Partly Free”. Georgia’s two-point decline therefore takes it below the “Free” threshold. These are the organisation’s assessment categories, not a legal certification.
Freedom House said Georgian authorities continued to suppress online activism and speech perceived as critical of Georgian Dream. It cited that pressure as the reason for the downgrade.
During the assessment period, several Georgian journalists and public figures were fined thousands of lari, Georgia’s currency, over their Facebook posts, OC Media reported.
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