The Social Justice Center responds to the dismissal of Davit Doiashvili from the “New Theatre” and considers this decision yet another serious case of political persecution by the “Georgian Dream” regime. The unlawful and discriminatory grounds for this action are evident.

On April 16, 2025, the Ministry of Culture announced Davit Doiashvili’s dismissal from his role as Artistic Director and manager of the Vaso Abashidze State Professional “New Theatre.” He had served as the theatre’s Artistic Director since 2004.

Following the spring 2023 protests, the “New Theatre” and its troupe began actively expressing dissent against the political decisions of the “Georgian Dream” party. In 2024, after the reintroduction of the so-called “Russian Law,” Davit Doiashvili voiced his opposition to the law from the stage. However, the “New Theatre” and its troupe entered a new phase of activism in December 2024, following the arrest of actor Andro Chichinadze. Chichinadze was detained on December 4 during mass protest rallies, and charged with participating in group violence.

The troupe of the "New Theatre" declared, “We cannot return to the stage without Andro”. In January 2025, they issued a public manifesto and as part of this initiative, the troupe launched a regional tour to build public support and solidarity for the release of Andro Chichinadze. Both the troupe and the public believe that Davit Doiashvili’s dismissal is directly linked to his recent active involvement in political and civic processes.

The above is to some extent confirmed by the official version of Doiashvili’s dismissal. According to information disseminated in the media, based on the Ministry, the theater had been continuously receiving funding from the budget; however, the creative process had been on hold for several months. This, it seems, was the official reason for the decision.

The amendments to the “Law on Professional Theatres”, introduced by the “Georgian Dream” party in response to the mass protests of 2024, are noteworthy. These changes are part of a broader set of repressive legislative changes affecting the public service sector and came into effect in April 2025. Specifically, the position of Artistic Director in state professional theatres was abolished, and the theatre’s sole leadership role was assigned to the Director. After the amendments, individuals who held the position of Artistic Director were automatically appointed as Directors. Consequently, under the new regulations, the Director now holds both administrative and artistic leadership of the theatre.

The process for dismissing a theatre director has been streamlined. A theatre director may be dismissed by the Minister of Culture for one of the following reasons: a substantiated recommendation from the Advisory Council, a justified request from the theatre troupe or the Artistic Council, or based on the Minister’s initiative. Additionally, failing to fulfill the theatre’s action plan and work program also serves as grounds for dismissal. Notably, this last reason was cited as the official basis for Doiashvili’s dismissal.

At this stage, it is unclear whether Doiashvili was given any prior notice about the need to resume the theatre’s work plan or about the measures being taken against him. It is concerning that a director - who is responsible for the theatre’s artistic life - was dismissed unilaterally by the Minister, a political officeholder, without any consultation or involvement from the theatre troupe or creative team. The statement issued by the theatre troupe on April 16, 2025, indicates that the Minister’s decision is unlikely to aid in restoring the artistic process. On the contrary, it is expected to widen the divide between the Ministry and the theatre’s creative collective, likely leading the situation into a deadlock.

The Constitution of Georgia guarantees everyone the freedom of assembly and expression. The right to express one’s views through assemblies and demonstrations is further protected by the “Law on Assemblies and Demonstrations”. The removal of Davit Doiashvili from the theatre suggests that he was punished for exercising his constitutionally guaranteed rights, making his dismissal both discriminatory and unlawful. Furthermore, the way in which he was dismissed shows that the Ministry failed to engage in professional communication with him or to address theatre-related issues through dialogue and collaboration. Instead, the hastily adopted repressive legislation by the “Georgian Dream” Parliament was used to subordinate and control individuals working in the cultural sector, particularly those in senior management positions.

The theater has always been one of the epicenters of socio-political events and held significant political importance. Cultural figures have played a vital role in shaping modern society in Georgia. Therefore, the dismissal of the director of the Vaso Abashidze New Theatre should be seen as an act of pressure on culture workers - an attempt to eliminate free spaces and suppress critical thought.

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