European Court backs Georgia in case over insulting remarks towards public officials, Justice Ministry

The European Court of Human Rights has ruled in favour of the Georgian government in the case of Miladze v Georgia, finding that publicly made insulting and obscene remarks directed at public officials fall outside the protections of freedom of expression, according to Georgia’s Justice Ministry.

The case concerned a video published on TikTok in 2022 in which civil activist Irakli Miladze used what authorities described as vulgar and insulting language towards the Tbilisi mayor, city hall employees and police officers.

Georgian courts later fined Miladze 500 lari - the minimum penalty under national legislation.

According to the Justice Ministry, the Strasbourg court unanimously concluded that the applicant’s statements did not constitute political criticism or expression on a matter of public interest.

The court found that the language used was aimed at humiliating and insulting public officials rather than contributing to public debate.

The ministry said the European court also agreed with the reasoning of Georgian courts, stating that they had properly distinguished between sharp political criticism and personal insults.

The ruling additionally noted that the sanction imposed on Miladze had been minimal and proportionate, as he received only the minimum fine allowed by law.

In its statement, the Justice Ministry said the judgment reaffirmed that freedom of expression is a fundamental democratic value and protects even harsh criticism, but does not extend to degrading or personally insulting attacks against others, including public officials.

The ministry also argued that the ruling confirmed states have the right to protect political figures and civil servants from abusive verbal attacks so they can perform their duties free from degrading pressure, particularly in online spaces and on social media platforms.