A smear campaign against Georgian comedian Onise Okriashvili involving pro-government media, politicians and coordinated online accounts began before he was attacked, before shifting afterwards to justify the violence and express support for the alleged attacker. On 23 July 2026, three men ambushed and brutally assaulted pro-European protest participant, comedian and stand-up performer Onise Okriashvili in Tbilisi over a joke he made about renowned Georgian writer Nodar Dumbadze. According to the Myth Detector study, pro-government media outlets and Facebook pages began circulating old videos and public statements by Onise Okriashvili several days before the attack. The study says that after the attack, social media and pro-government media promoted narratives claiming the assault had been triggered by Okriashvili’s joke about Nodar Dumbadze. The Myth Detector study also says the campaign to discredit Okriashvili continued after the attack using new material.