On 19 June 2025, the Media Development Foundation (MDF) received a court order informing us that the Anti-Corruption Bureau has launched an investigation into our organization’s activities. This decision was made without our knowledge or participation and grants the Bureau access to an extensive amount of information, including sensitive personal data of our beneficiaries and partners. We strongly reject this measure, which lacks any legal foundation and serves as yet another tool in the Georgian Dream government’s campaign to suppress independent civil society organizations in Georgia. Notably, on June 17, two days prior, five Georgian NGOs received similar court orders to submit highly sensitive information, which was labelled as a "a blow to freedom of association” by Amnesty International.

The legal arguments behind the court’s decision raise serious concerns about the rule of law in Georgia. The court order relies on legislation—the Law on the Fight Against Corruption and the Organic Law on Political Associations of Citizens—that does not simply apply to MDF. We are neither a "public institution” nor an entity with a declared political objective. The request also cites the amended Law on Grants, which itself lacks legal ground, as the Bureau’s request goes far beyond what is legally permissible. The law allows inquiries only into whether a grant was received without prior government notification—and only for the period following 16 April 2025, when the amendments took effect. The court order, however, demands broad and invasive information covering an undefined and excessive time span, including personal data that has no relevance to the stated purpose of the inquiry.

The Media Development Foundation views this action as a deliberate continuation of the Georgian Dream’s efforts to weaponize administrative and legal systems against independent organizations. These tactics aim to create a chilling effect, pushing CSOs into silence through fear, intimidation, and uncertainty.

We categorically reject this politicized and unlawful intervention and will use every legal mechanism available to challenge it—both in domestic courts and through international legal and human rights bodies. Our goal is not only to defend the rights and integrity of our organization but also to push back against a broader trend of democratic backsliding and authoritarianism in Georgia.

We will continue to keep the public, our partners, and the international community informed about the legal proceedings, as well as the steps we are taking within international mechanisms to challenge this repression.

We thank everyone who stands with us in solidarity during this critical time.