Irakli Metreveli

Tbilisi

Cacusus Bureau Chief at Agence France-Presse (AFP)

Writer, journalist. Agence France-Presse Caucasus bureau chief. The views expressed here are my own. Links and re-tweets are not endorsements.

Featured in: Favicon

afp.com

businessinsider.com Favicon

yahoo.com (+13) Favicon

smh.com.au Favicon

france24.com Favicon

ctvnews.ca Favicon

ibtimes.com Favicon

timesofisrael.com Favicon

phys.org

gmanetwork.com + 92 more

Articles

Georgia's Rugby Dreams Built On Wild Folk Game

2 months ago | barrons.com | Irakli Metreveli

Hundreds of men went charging through the Georgian village of Shukhuti as they grappled for control of a wine-soaked leather ball -- a frenzied folk game locals say is the bedrock of the Caucasus country's prowess on the modern-day rugby field. Held every Easter, the fierce contest pits the village's upper and lower halves against each other in a bruising effort to drive the ball into a river.
Georgia cracks down on pro-EU protests with crippling fines

Mar 23, 2025 | yahoo.com | Irakli Metreveli

Nadim Khmaladze has been joining thousands of fellow Georgians on the streets every evening since November, when Tbilisi's increasingly repressive government shelved EU membership talks. The 60-year-old rights activist said he was "ready to face police violence" when he first joined the anti-government rallies in Tbilisi, but he never imagined that standing on the street for a few hours could cost him more than 22 months' salary.
Georgia Cracks Down On Pro-EU Protests With Crippling Fines

Mar 23, 2025 | barrons.com | Irakli Metreveli

The Barron's news department was not involved in the creation of the content above. This article was produced by AFP. For more information go to AFP.com. © Agence France-Presse
Georgia's Ex-leader Saakashvili To Spend 12.5 Years In Prison

Mar 17, 2025 | barrons.com | Irakli Metreveli

A Georgian court on Monday sentenced ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili to four and a half years behind bars for illegally crossing the border, bringing the pro-Western politician's total sentence to 12.5 years. Saakashvili, 57, was sentenced in absentia in 2018 to six years in prison for abuse of office and, last week, he received a nine-year sentence for misspending public funds from the Caucasus country. He began serving the term in 2021, when he returned to the country from exile.
Georgia court extends ex-president Saakashvili's jail term

Mar 12, 2025 | yahoo.com | Irakli Metreveli

A Georgia court on Wednesday sentenced pro-Western reformer ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili to nine years in prison for misspending public funds, adding three years to the jail term he is currently serving. Saakashvili, 57, was sentenced in absentia in 2018 to six years behind bars for abuse of office, a charge he and rights groups have denounced as politically motivated. He was jailed and began serving the term in 2021, when he returned to the country.
Georgia police arrest two opposition leaders at protest

Feb 2, 2025 | annistonstar.com | Irakli Metreveli

By Irakli METREVELI Georgian police arrested two opposition leaders during a street protest against the ruling party on Sunday, a moved quickly denounced by the European Union, which condemned Tbilisi's "brutal crackdown". The Black Sea nation has been rocked by daily mass protests since the Georgian Dream party claimed victory in October parliamentary elections rejected by the opposition as falsified.
Georgia police arrest two opposition leaders at protest

Feb 2, 2025 | djournal.com | Irakli Metreveli

Georgian police arrested two opposition leaders during a street protest against the ruling party on Sunday, a moved quickly denounced by the European Union, which condemned Tbilisi's "brutal crackdown". The Black Sea nation has been rocked by daily mass protests since the Georgian Dream party claimed victory in October parliamentary elections rejected by the opposition as falsified.
Georgia police arrest two opposition leaders at protest

Feb 2, 2025 | kdhnews.com | Irakli Metreveli

State AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWashington D.C.West VirginiaWisconsinWyomingPuerto RicoUS Virgin IslandsArmed Forces AmericasArmed...
Georgia police arrest two opposition leaders at protest

Feb 2, 2025 | fox28spokane.com | Irakli Metreveli

Georgian police arrested two opposition leaders during a street protest against the ruling party on Sunday, a moved quickly denounced by the European Union, which condemned Tbilisi’s “brutal crackdown”. The Black Sea nation has been rocked by daily mass protests since the Georgian Dream party claimed victory in October parliamentary elections rejected by the opposition as falsified. Its critics accuse the government of democratic backsliding and of moving Tbilisi closer to Russia.
Georgia police arrest two opposition leaders at protest

Feb 2, 2025 | yahoo.com | Irakli Metreveli

Georgian police arrested two opposition leaders during a street protest against the ruling party Sunday, a moved quickly denounced by the European Union, which denounced Tbilisi's "brutal crackdown". The Black Sea nation has been rocked by daily mass protests since the Georgian Dream party claimed victory in October parliamentary elections rejected by the opposition as falsified. Its critics accuse the government of democratic backsliding and of moving Tbilisi closer to Russia.