An OSCE parliamentary delegation visiting Georgia was unable to meet detained protesters, despite efforts to arrange such meetings ahead of the trip.
The visit earlier in March took place shortly after the news that the OSCE’s Moscow Mechanism had been invoked, which established the creation of a fact-finding mission to look into the country’s alleged democratic backsliding.
The mechanism was enacted in January 2026, marking the first time it has ever been invoked in the South Caucasus.
One issue raised prior to the visit was the possibility of meeting imprisoned individuals who had been arrested during protests against the ruling Georgian Dream party.
Upon concluding the trip, the delegation was asked by journalists from IPN whether they visited prisoners, Pere Joan Pons Sampietro, the president of the parliamentary assembly, said their request had been rejected by the Georgian government.
‘I want to tell you that we have requested visits to prisoners who are in prison, especially to the Sakharov Prize winner [journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli]. We expressed this to the Prime Minister [Irakli Kobakhidze], we expressed this to the President [Mikheil Kavelashvili] of the country, we expressed this to the Minister of Internal Affairs [Gela Galadze], we expressed this to the Speaker of Parliament [Shalva Papuashvili]. And they answered us: “No” ’.
While OSCE Parliamentary Assembly delegations are generally free to arrange most meetings independently, visits to prisons require approval from local authorities.
One member of the Parliamentary Assembly told OC Media that she ultimately decided not to endorse the trip after it became clear that a meeting with the prisoners could not be confirmed in advance, despite multiple delegates asking for it.
In addition to President Pons Sampietro, the delegation that did travel to Georgia consisted of the designated special representative for South Caucasus Luís Graça, Montenegrin MP Jevrosima Pejović, and Christine Blower, a member of the UK House of Lords. They were accompanied by Roberto Montella, Secretary General of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.
Montella has previously faced criticism over his close relationship with Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze, a former professional footballer who also serves as the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party. In 2024, Montella travelled to Georgia to participate in a football veterans’ match organised by Kaladze just weeks before the country’s parliamentary elections, despite being part of the organisation’s core election observation structure.
During this year's visit, which lasted from 8–10 March, the delegation met with, among others, the Prime Minister’s office, Georgian MPs, opposition leaders, and civil society representatives. They also visited the administrative boundary line with South Ossetia.
Previous plans to visit Georgia shortly after the 2024 parliamentary elections sparked controversy and widespread criticism. The visit was postponed at the time but was eventually arranged a few months later.
OC Media has reached out to the Georgian Foreign Ministry for a request for comment, but has yet to receive a comment as of the time of publication.
Rasmus Canbäck
