On November 10, 1998, journalists and non-governmental organizations organized a protest in front of the State Chancellery of Georgia after Aleko Tskitishvili, a journalist from the newspaper Resonance, was beaten outside the Supreme Court while covering the trial of Jaba Ioseliani and others. Members of the special police unit OMON, led by Temur Mgebrishvili, assaulted him. OMON, which frequently targeted Zviadists (supporters of former president Zviad Gamsakhurdia), often broke up their gatherings with violence. After such incidents, Mgebrishvili typically denied using force.

By late 1998, journalists themselves had also become OMON’s targets. In September, members of the Liberty Institute were attacked: journalist Kote Vardzelashvili was verbally abused and beaten, then shoved into a car with fellow journalist Gogi Kavtaradze and taken to a police station, where they were again assaulted before being released and charged with resisting police. In November, despite having proper accreditation, Aleko Tskitishvili was denied entry to the court, insulted and beaten by Mgebrishvili, then forced into a car and taken to the Mtatsminda police department, where Mgebrishvili continued the abuse and accused him of being drunk. Tskitishvili was transferred to a narcological dispensary, then back to the police station, where colleagues and fellow journalists finally located him and moved him to a hospital. He was diagnosed with multiple contusions. Gigi Ugulava, a representative of the Liberty Institute, accidentally witnessed the incident and managed to record the confrontation on tape.

Outraged by the attack, journalists gathered outside the State Chancellery demanding Mgebrishvili’s dismissal and the disbandment of OMON. Their placards read: “President, protect journalists from violence!”, “No to a police state!”, and “Mgebrishvili to prison!” Equipped with whistles and horns, the protesters disrupted the routine of the Chancellery. The President’s press secretary, Vakhtang Abashidze, came out to negotiate, joined by senior officials Vaja Lortkipanidze, Mikheil Saakashvili, Zurab Zhvania, Rusudan Beridze, and Kakha Targamadze. Following the protest, President Eduard Shevardnadze ordered the Prosecutor General to open a criminal case against Temur Mgebrishvili for abuse of power. Later, the Ministers of Internal Affairs and Security signed a communiqué with representatives of the press and NGOs, pledging cooperation and mutual understanding.