On June 2, 2023, during a panel discussion at the Global Security Forum (GLOBSEC) in Bratislava, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili stated in response to a journalist’s question that one of the reasons for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was the country’s desire to join NATO. In response, a small group of citizens gathered outside the Georgian Parliament holding banners reading “Iraqli”. “Iraqli” is a word formed by merging the Georgian first name Irakli (the Prime Minister’s name) with a Georgian slang term for the male genital organ.

While they were peacefully expressing their protest, several demonstrators — Grigol Frangishvili (for slogans on his shirt), and Nodar Sikharulidze, Nika Romanadze, Lasha Janjghava, and Shota Tutberidze (for the banner) — were detained by police.

After the arrests, human rights defenders and NGO representatives arrived at the same location with similar banners. During this solidarity protest, Saba Brachveli and Eduard Marikashvili were also detained — Marikashvili was holding a blank white sheet of paper at the time of his arrest.

The following day, June 3, journalists and rights activists again gathered at the same spot in solidarity, denouncing the detentions as violations of freedom of speech and expression. Their banners read: “Virakli,” “Iraqli,” “Irakli the Russian,” and “Irakli’s word is worth straw.”

A parallel protest took place in Batumi, where four participants — Levan Gorgiladze, Giorgi Dumbadze, Luka Natsvlishvili, and Tazo Makharadze — were detained for displaying the same “Irakli” sign. Dumbadze and Natsvlishvili were minors at the time. Luka Natsvlishvili and Zviad Tskhetsladze, co-founders of the youth movement Daphioni, were both detained, along with United National Movement member Mirdat Khamadadze.

The court deliberated on the June 2 detentions for four months. During the hearing, police officer Agamali Askerov justified the arrests by saying: “There were obscene words, and it’s not nice in a public place where our sisters, mothers, and children walk — they shouldn’t read such things.”

On September 27, Judge Nino Shcherbakova ruled that standing with a blank sheet of paper constituted disorderly conduct. Nodar Sikharulidze was fined 2,000 GEL for disobedience to police orders and petty hooliganism, while Eduard Marikashvili, Saba Brachveli, Nika Romanadze, and Grigol Frangishvili were each fined 500 GEL. Two days later, Shota Tutberidze was fined 500 GEL, and Lasha Janjghava 2,000 GEL.