Actor Beka Bediashvili Says He Was Denied Entry to Georgia, Cites Political Activity

Beka Bediashvili, an actor who has lived in Germany since 1996, says he was denied entry to Georgia at Tbilisi Airport and returned to a plane because of what border officials described as his political activity. In a video posted from the airport on his Facebook page, Bediashvili described the episode and said he was being escorted by police to be put back on a flight out of the country.

"ასე გამოიყურება, როცა არ გიშვებენ იმ ქვეყანაში, სადაც დაიბადე. ახლა მე მივყვები პოლიციას, რომელმაც უკან, თვითმფრინავში უნდა ჩამსვას, რათა გავფრინდე ბერლინში და არა კიოლნში, სადაც ვცხოვრობ, რადგან აქ ბერლინიდან ჩამოვედი. საფუძველი [არშემოშვების], პრინციპში, საკმაოდ მარტივია და ეს [ჩემი] პოლიტიკური აქტივობაა. გასულ წელს მე ვიყავი სტუმრად უკანასკნელ, ჯერ კიდევ შემორჩენილ ოპოზიციურ ტელეგადაცემაში და იქ ვთქვი ის, რაც ვთქვი", he said in the post.

Bediashvili told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that airport border guards initially told him he needed to pay a fine of 1,000 Georgian lari (GEL). He said a second officer then told him the fine was 5,000 GEL and that if he did not pay he would not be admitted — though, he added, even payment might not have secured entry. "თუ არ გადავიხდიდი, ვერ შემიშვებდნენ, მაგრამ თუ გადავიხდიდი, სავარაუდოდ, მაინც არ შემიშვებდნენ. როცა ვიკითხე, ვინ წყვეტდა იმას, შემიშვებენ თუ არა ამ ჯარიმის გადახდის შემდეგ, მითხრეს, რომ ამას ჩვენ ვწყვეტთ," he said.

Bediashvili, who is also known by the stage name Bediana, was born in Rustavi in 1990 and moved to Germany with his family in 1996. He said he had come to Georgia to attend his brother-in-law's wedding; his wife and child arrived in the country several days earlier. Bediashvili told reporters he had contacted the German embassy in Tbilisi to seek assistance.

The actor also noted his recent public statements on Georgia's political situation. On August 2, 2025, he gave an interview to TV Pirveli and posted on social media: "გულწრფელად ვიმედოვნებ, რომ საქართველო მალე დაუბრუნდება დემოკრატიულ და ევროპულ გზას." He said his appearance on an opposition television program the previous year, where he voiced criticisms, was the likely reason authorities singled him out at the border.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has contacted Georgia's Interior Ministry with questions about the grounds for denying Bediashvili entry, the specific fines cited by border personnel, and whether payment of such fines would normally affect an admission decision. The outlet said it will update the report if it receives a response from the ministry.

The case raises questions about the treatment of Georgian citizens and residents returning from abroad who have been publicly critical of the government. Bediashvili has said he will pursue the matter when he returns to Berlin and seek clarification so he can exercise his right to visit his country of birth and spend holiday time there. "ვეცდები, როცა ბერლინში დავბრუნდები, ყველაფერი გავარკვიო, რომ კვლავ მქონდეს უფლება, ჩემს სამშობლოში დავბრუნდე და შვებულება აქ გავატარო, მაგრამ, როგორც ჩანს, ამ ხელისუფლების დროს ეს მარტივი არ იქნება," he wrote.

At present, details remain limited to Bediashvili’s account and the reporting of his statements from the airport. The Interior Ministry’s official position and any administrative rationale for refusing entry have not yet been provided publicly. Observers and rights advocates monitoring freedom of movement and expression in Georgia may view the episode as significant if official explanations confirm political considerations shaped the border decision.