{"id":"GEO-009","notes":"ANALYTICALLY IMPORTANT: this is the most direct case in the database of financial restrictions used to eliminate protest infrastructure. The mechanism is precise: (1) criminalize protest activities (fine escalation); (2) allow civil society to fund fine-payment (crowd-funding works); (3) freeze the civil society funding mechanism (\"sabotage\"); (4) protesters left to pay personally → protests cease. The GONGO trigger is also analytically significant — \"United Neutral Georgia\" appeals to Prosecutor, using civil society form to activate state prosecution. CSOMeter cites Slovakia parallel for \"constitutional order\" framing. Cross-ref GEO-005 (August 2025 broader account freezes).","country":"Georgia","sources":[{"url":null,"citation":"CSOMeter March 19 2025 (https://csometer.info — primary); RFE/RL Georgian Service (Shakarishvili quote)"}],"summary":"Georgian Prosecutor's Office announces seizure of five foundations on March 17, 2025 as part of \"sabotage\" investigation (investigation started February 8). Funds frozen totaling over 2,000,000 GEL (~658,000 EUR) spent since December 2024. Prosecution claim: foundations directed \"majority of financial resources toward encouraging individuals to commit illegal and criminal acts and purchasing equipment necessary to carry out crimes.\" ACTUAL FUNCTION: foundations provided legal and financial support to protest participants — paying fines (escalated 10x to 5,000 GEL), supporting families of imprisoned protesters, covering legal aid costs. TRIGGER: appeal by \"United Neutral Georgia\" (GD-aligned group) — leader Vato Shakarishvili told RFE/RL they observed \"the trace of agents\" in the funds' activities. GONGO TRIGGER: regime-aligned civil society organization initiates prosecution against independent foundations — inverted GONGO function. FINANCIAL MECHANISM: fines for protest activities escalated to 5,000 GEL (10x increase) — foundations crowd-fund to cover; freeze eliminates this resistance mechanism. CSOMeter: \"The seizure of funds is designed to hinder and ultimately put an end to protests.\" Also: facial recognition cameras installed in protest areas — covering face now punishable offense.","tactics":[{"code":"TC-34","role":"primary","label":"Bank Account Freeze / Judicial Asset Seizure","needs_review":false},{"code":"TC-17","role":"secondary","label":"Narrative-to-Institutional Operationalization","needs_review":false}],"version":1,"channels":["Official/Regulatory"],"entities":[{"id":783,"name":"Prosecutor's Office of Georgia; \"United Neutral Georgia\" (GD-aligned trigger group); Vato Shakarishvili (UNG leader)","role":"actor","entity_type":"Government Official"},{"id":784,"name":"Nanuka Foundation; Prosperity Foundation; Foundation for Each Other 24/7; Sirtskhvilia Foundation; Tbilisi Human Rights House — five foundations providing financial support to protest participants","role":"target","entity_type":"Individual Organization"}],"date_text":"17/03/2025","created_at":"2026-09-24T17:50:55.358311+00:00","escalation":6,"harm_track":"Track 1 — Legal/Administrative","narratives":[{"code":"NF-03","role":"primary","label":"Financial Corruption / AML Framing","needs_review":false},{"code":"NF-06","role":"secondary","label":"Destabilization Agent","needs_review":false}],"report_ids":[],"signal_ids":["SIG-GEO-009"],"updated_at":"2026-09-24T17:50:55.358311+00:00","occurred_on":"2025-03-17","campaign_ids":["GEO-CAMP-001"],"enabler_type":"","response_ids":[],"trigger_type":"TR-02: Civic Mobilization","campaign_phase":"Phase 5: Systemic Assault","civic_response":"Nanuka Foundation director: \"forced to stop all assistance including support for young children\"; CSOMeter documents as \"massive attack on people's rights\"; international condemnation","date_precision":"day","enabler_status":"","campaigns_served":[],"consequence_category":"Legal/Administrative","institutional_consequence":"Five foundations frozen; protest support infrastructure eliminated; protesters unable to pay 5,000 GEL fines; families of imprisoned protesters without support; practical ability to protest financially constrained"}