We, the media organizations that have signed the statement, strongly oppose the Russian bill initiated by the members of the Parliamentary Majority.

We firmly believe that this bill aims to suppress the critical voice and create an environment where media and public organizations can no longer uncover corruption, injustice, and poverty in the country.

This was proved by the outcomes of a similar law passed in Russia years ago - civil and media organizations were closed and journalists became the victims of persecution.

Adopting this bill will cause insuperable harm to the EU accession process of Georgia, which was clearly indicated in the statement of the High Representative of the European Union on February 24.  Consequently, the submitted legislative amendment hampers Georgia's development and closes a window of opportunity.

We serve Georgian society and express deep concern about the future of our country. We are not going to work under this label. Accordingly, in case of adopting the Russian law, we refuse to register as “Agents of Foreign Influence.” It insults our professional dignity.

Tbilisi:

Shida Kartli:

Kvemo Kartli:

Samtskhe-Javakheti:

Adjara:

Samegrelo:

Kakheti:

Imereti:

Guria:

Mtskheta-Mtianeti:

According to media information, yesterday, on March 5, 2022, Mikheil Fishman, the journalist representing the Russian independent channel "Dozhd" was denied entry to Georgia. He has so far refrained from commenting and identifying himself due to the growing threat to journalists in Russia.

Today, on March 6, 2022, it became known that Mikheil Fishman's family is in Georgia, while the journalist himself is not allowed to cross the border and is still waiting for an answer from the Georgian state.

We would like to remind the public that “Dozhd” has been a broadcaster with a critical editorial policy regarding the Russian government. In the wake of the ongoing military operations in Ukraine, the aforementioned TV channel stopped broadcasting on March 3.

Recently the Russian government introduced new regulations making it difficult for independent media to cover the ongoing war. Dissemination of information that the Kremlin might consider “fake” could be punished with a considerable fine or even imprisonment. Given these circumstances, some journalists are trying to leave Russia. Other media outlets in Russia have stopped broadcasting, including CNN, as well as the Russian bureau of Deutsche Welle, which has been closed. Therefore, we expect that other Russian journalists will likewise need the help of the Georgian State. 

We believe that the fact of restricting the permit of entry could be discriminatory because other persons entering the country from Russia via Yerevan do not face similar obstacles. Therefore, the state must explain what constituted the main reason for not admitting Mikheil Fishman. 

The Coalition calls on the Georgian authorities not to create artificial border obstacles for Russian journalists who have been harassed for their professional activities, strictly comply with the requirements of the Georgian Law on International Protection, and refuse to violate the rights of critical journalists and their associates.

The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics expresses solidarity with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, media representatives, and colleagues in the Press Council of Ukraine.

The Charter thanks the journalists who work in the field and do their best to provide the public with checked and complete information on the developments after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

At the same time, the Charter appeals to Georgian media outlets to be careful when covering current events in Ukraine, as such propaganda campaigns and disinformation are particularly active at this time, with numerous unverified reports, videos, and photos.

In a situation where the population of the country is completely focused on the events in Ukraine, it is important that the media make a redoubled effort to verify the information and use only reliable sources.

The Charter also appeals to the public not to be deceived by the misinformation spread by pro-Russian and anti-Western organizations and news channels operating in Georgia.

Physical and verbal abuse, interference with the professional activities, attempted damage to equipment - Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics revealed the following facts of violation of the rights of journalists during the second round of voting in the 2021 elections:

1. In Tbilisi, in the vicinity of one of the polling stations in Gldani, a journalist of TV Pirveli was verbally abused;
2. In Martvili, at the 31st polling station, a stranger physically confronted the journalist of Formula TV - Nino Chakvetadze while asking questions;
3. The camera crew of TV Pirveli was verbally abused by a person near the polling station in Rustavi;
4. In Kareli municipality, in the voting unit of the 2nd polling station, a United National Movement observer attacked a TV Monitoring journalist and physically abused him/her;
5. Georgian Dream coordinators verbally and physically confronted a Formula TV journalist near the polling station in Zugdidi;
6. Nino Chakvetadze, a journalist of Formula TV was attacked at the 2nd polling station in Martvili;
7. According to TV Pirveli, a Georgian Dream supporter confiscated a microphone from their journalist;
8. According to Giga Gelkhvidze – a journalist of TV Media Center, he was verbally and physically confronted at the 14th polling station in Kutaisi;
9. According to Formula TV, in Kutaisi, their camera crew was confronted by aggressive individuals and verbally abused;
10. In one of the polling stations, in the voting unit, the journalist of the TV Pirveli verbally confronted the representative of the polling station;
11. According to TV Pirveli, an aggressive Georgian Dream observer verbally and physically abused their journalist;
12. In one of the polling stations in Batumi, some persons tried to damage the camera of the TV 25 camera crew and interfered with their journalistic activities;
13. Also, in Batumi, the journalist Teo Putkaradze was verbally and physically assaulted;
14. In Kutaisi, on the 15th polling station, the journalist of On.ge was aggressively hindered in his/her work, tried to damage his/her equipment and verbally and physically abused him/her;
15. In Gonio, the camera crews of Formula TV and the Mtavari TV were attacked and verbally and physically abused;
16. In Poti, aggressive Georgian Dream activists attacked a Mtavari TV journalist and physically and verbally abused him/her;
17. In Meskheti, a Formula TV journalist was stoned and verbally abused;
18. According to Gurianius, their journalist was expelled from the first polling station in Senaki, who was filming a confrontation at the polling station;
19. Mtavari TV journalist Emma Gogokhia was confronted at one of the polling stations in Senaki and verbally abused.

The list might be updated.

The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics urges the law enforcement agencies to ensure an immediate investigation on the interference in journalistic activities and attacks on members of the media.

The cases revealed in the first round can be found here.

On September 29, 2021, the incumbent mayor of Tbilisi and the Georgian Dream mayoral candidate, Kakha Kaladze, called the journalists "radicals", "the dirtiest people" and "the head of hatred and evil.". 

The Charter of Journalistic Ethics condemns Kakha Kaladze's statement and considers that such an attitude towards the media is characteristic of authoritarianism.

The Charter considers this to be an incitement to hatred towards the media, which is especially dangerous during the election period. It is noteworthy that Kakha Kaladze had previously been known for his aggressive rhetoric towards journalists when he compared the activities of the media on July 20, 2021 to the actions of violent groups. 

The Charter of Journalistic Ethics has repeatedly stated that the aggressive rhetoric of politicians in Georgia creates a polarized media environment and negatively affects the safety and professionalism of journalists.

The Charter of Journalistic Ethics calls on the authorities not to encourage attacks on members of the media by their aggressive attitudes and to stop talking about restrictive norms of freedom of thought, speech, and expression, to support media freedom, and to switch to business relations’ mode.

On July 20, 2021, Mayor of Tbilisi Kakha Kaladze compared the activities of the media to the actions of violent groups.

We have repeatedly expressed concern over the aggressive rhetoric of politicians, which creates an unsuitable environment in Georgia for the free work of media organizations and journalists. This has a negative impact on the safety of journalists. It was the statements of the Ruling Party that encouraged the violent actions against 53 members of the media on July 5.

The Charter urges the representatives of the authorities to refrain from encouraging the attacks on members of the media with their aggressive attitudes and to stop talking about restrictive norms of freedom of thought, speech and expression, to support media freedom and to switch to a business relations.

Cases of violation of the rights of media representatives in Georgia have reached a critical level. Dozens of cases against the media are still uninvestigated. Dozens of cases against the media are not still investigated. The authorities fail to ensure the safety of journalists, while the statements by the officials of the ruling party encourage the violence even more.

On July 5, 2021, during a demonstration against the "March of Dignity", members of a violent group deliberately attacked the media representatives, subjected them to physical and verbal abuse, and deliberately destroyed their equipment to obstruct their journalistic activities.

Despite the preliminary calls from the civil sector, the state has not taken appropriate measures to protect the media representatives. Insufficient police forces did not take measures to protect the journalists. Moreover, on July 5, before the start of the government session, the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Gharibashvili, laid the responsibility not upon the members of the demonstration but the organizers of the "March of Dignity" for the possible complication of the situation and called them not to hold the march on Rustaveli Avenue.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, on July 5, 53 members of the media were injured, including the operator of TV Pirveli - Aleksandre Lashkarava, who was severely beaten by violent groups on July 5. Aleksandre Lashkarava died on July 11.

Part of the media representatives still remains in the hospital. Members of various violent groups continue to openly threaten journalists and cameramen, to which the law enforcement agencies do not respond accordingly. The organizers of the violent demonstration of July 5, whose identities are not known, have not been arrested either.

It should be noted that most of the facts of the attacks on journalists, obstruction of media activities, and violence that happened in the past have not been investigated so far and the issue of responsibility of the organizers of the violent groups has not been outlined.

We appeal to the representatives of the diplomatic corps and international organizations accredited in Georgia to respond immediately and effectively to the purposive persecution of media representatives on Rustaveli Avenue on July 5, the facts of damage to health, obstruction of professional duties, and inaction of the Georgian government.

Signatories:

1.     Mtavari TV

2.     TV Formula

3.     Rustavi 2

4.     Tabula

5.     Imedi TV

6.     Kavkasia TV

7.     The Charter of Journalistic Ethics

8.     Adjara Public Broadcaster and Radio

9.     Georgian Public Broadcaster

10.  TV Pirveli

11.  Express News

12.  FaxInterNews

13.  Artarea TV

14.  Studio Monitor

15.  Georgian Times Radio

16.  Fact Check

17.  Radio Green Wave

18.  AT.ge

19.  Media Development Foundation

20.  Border Zone

21.  NNLE Media and Communication Educational and Research Center

22.  Radio Voice of Abkhazia

23.  Radio Dardimandi

24.  Alternative Professional Union of Adjara Public Broadcaster

25.  Media Holding Hereti: Radio Hereti FM102.8, Radio Tbilisi FM93.5

26.  Radio Citrus FM97.3

27.  Radio Dzveli Kalaki

28.  Georgian Regional Radio Network

29.  TV Company New

30.  OC Media

31.  TOK TV

32.  Radio Holding Fortuna

33.  SOVA

34.  Batumelebi

35.  Newsreport

36.  On.ge

37.  Netgazeti

38.  InterPressNews.ge

39.  Blog SocReactive

40.  TSpress.ge

41.  Radio Atinati

42.  Metronome.ge

43.  Publika

44.  Civil.ge

45.  Internews-Georgia

46.  Media.ge

47.  Openrustavi.ge

48.  Palitranews

49.  Radio Palitra

50.  Radio Marneuli

51.  Euronews Georgia

52.  FirstNews.ge

53.  Kutaisi Today

54.  Speqtri.ge

55.  Cnews

56.  Media Holding "Qronika +"

57.  Droa.ge

58.  Accentnews.ge

59.  Popmusic.ge

60.  Popsport.com

61.  Gurianews.ge

62.  Eco-Fact

63.  Media rights

64.  Journalism Resource Center

65.  Agrogaremo TV

66.  Alliance of Regional Broadcasters

67.  Radio Imedi

68.  Commersant

69.  JAMNews

70.  Reginfo.ge

71.  DailyInfo.ge

72.  News Agency Front News

73.  Front News International Kiev Office

74.  ifact.ge

75.  ipress.ge

76.  TV 25

77.  Guria TV

78.  Metskhre talgha

79.  okribanews

80.  newpost

81.  pia.ge

82.  digest.ge

83.  funtime.ge

84.  tbiliselebi.ge

85.  exclusivetv.ge

86.  GHN

87.  geodigest.ge

88.  Europetime.eu

89.  Odishi TV

90.  Guria Moambe

91.  Dianews

92.  report.ge

93.  AliQ Media

94.  Ambebi.ge

95.  Info Rustavi

96.  Mega TV

97.  DiaNews

98.  Radio Mosaic

99.  TV Dia

100. NewPress.ge

101. Timerge

102. Radio WW

103. Chemi Kharagauli

104. QvemoQartli.ge

105. Sknews.ge

106. Livepress

Photo Credit - Mediachecker.ge

The cases of violation of journalists' rights in Georgia have reached a critical point. Hereby, we reiterate that the government has failed to guarantee the safety and security of media representatives as earlier attacks on journalists went largely unpunished.

On July 5 - 6, 2021, dozens of journalists and cameramen became the subject of large-scale violence. On a day when the March for Dignity, organized by Tbilisi Pride, was supposed to take place in Tbilisi, violent groups targeted media representatives, inflicted physical injuries and verbal abuse, and deliberately smashed their equipment to obstruct coverage.

Despite earlier warnings from the civil sector, the authorities did not take relevant measures to ensure the safety of the organizers of the March for Dignity or the media. The acts of violence were broadcast live. It was obvious that the insufficient police force was acting passively and failed to restore the order in the streets.

On July 5, prior to the cabinet meeting, the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Gharibashvili, put the responsibility for the possible aggravation of the situation not on the counter-protesters, but on the organizers of the Tbilisi Pride, and called them not to hold the march on Rustaveli Avenue. During violent attacks, the only protection mechanism applied by the Ministry of Interior was withdrawing the journalists from the coverage scene.

The attacks against the media continued on July 6, 2021, in the course of the solidarity rally in Tbilisi, when the violent groups attempted to disrupt the live broadcast of Formula TV.

According to the official information, a total of 53 representatives of more than 10 media outlets were injured. Some of them were admitted to the hospitals with severe injuries and are under medical care up to date.

In response to the multiple acts of violence, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia has detained only 12 individuals under the charges of illegal interference with journalistic activities, while the journalists were able to identify more attackers in the available video footage.

In the light of the unprecedented scale of violence against the media and in order to protect freedom of speech and expression and other fundamental rights in the country, we appeal to the Government of Georgia:

• To conduct a prompt and efficient investigation into the cases of violence against the media representatives injured on July 5 - 6, 2021, as well as to bring the perpetrators to justice
• To cease using hate speech against the media and openly support the freedom of journalists to carry out professional duties

We appeal to the Parliament of Georgia:

• To hold an ad-hock hearing of July 5-6 events in the Parliament, and to evaluate the efficiency of the steps taken by the government to protect the citizens
• To condemn the calls and acts of violence
• To issue the statements in favor of freedom of expression and openly support the freedom of journalists to carry out professional duties.
  
  

Signatories:

Alliance of Regional Broadcasters - AB

Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics

Georgian Democracy Initiative - GDI

Georgian Regional Media Association - GRMA

Georgian Young Lawyers` Association - GYLA

International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED)

Institute for Development of Freedom of Information -IDFI

Liberal Academy Tbilisi

Media Club

Media Development Foundation

Media Rights

Open Society Foundation OSGF

Rights Georgia

Small and Medium Telecommunication Operators Association of Georgia

Transparency International Georgia

TV network

According to the reports, the violent groups on Rustaveli Avenue physically and verbally abuse the journalists. Media outlets report that members of the violent group attack journalists, swear and force them to leave the area. 

• According to "TV Pirveli", the equipment belonging to the broadcaster was damaged;
• According to "Formula TV", Guga Dvalishvili, a journalist of the Public Broadcaster, was deprived of a microphone and thrown out of his hands, and the cameraman was physically abused;
• Giorgi Gabunia and Lekso Khomasuridze - another crew of "Formula TV" was beaten;
• The sticks were thrown to the "Rustavi 2" journalists;
• Mako Jabua, a journalist of "Tabula" wearing a T-shirt with the caption "Press", was attacked and beaten with the cudgel at her head;
• Luka Pertaia, a journalist of "Netgazeti" was verbally abused;
• Tamta Kakhaberidze - a journalist of "On.ge" was attacked;
• According to "Palitra News", their media operator was beaten, he had injuries on his face. Also, the equipment belonging to the broadcaster was damaged;
• According to TV "Imedi", the protesters physically confronted their journalist and cameraman;
• Two journalists from "Radio Liberty" were injured; 
• According to the "First Channel", their cameraman Ilia Tvaliashvili was injured;
• Alexander Lashkarava, the cameraman of "TV Pirveli", was beaten and his equipment was broken;
• According to the Adjara Public Broadcaster, their journalists was attacked by radical citizens. Journalist Tiko Susareishvili was injured;
• "Mtavari Channel" journalists Dea Mamiseishvili, Irakli Bakhtadze, Nino Gazdeliani, Datuna Akhaladze, Anri Jokharidze, Keta Tsitskishvili and Tornike Barnabishvili were injured;
• According to "Guria News", their journalist Merab Tsaava was confronted at the rally;
• Journalists of TV "Rustavi 2" Mariam Kumsishvili, Marika Gotsiridze, Giorgi Pertia, Salome Bokuchava, Zura Managadze, Beka Atabegashvili, Nikoloz Urushadze and Shota Sikinchalashvili were injured;
• "Interpressnews" photo correspondent Giorgi Nikolishvili is injured;
• Formula TV journalists Nino Vardzelashvili, Rati Tsverava, Luka Khachidze, cameramen Levan Bregvadze, Nikoloz Kaliashvili, Zaza Kapanadze, Giorgi Maisashvili, photographer Vakho Kareli were injured.

The Charter urges the Ministry of Internal Affairs to protect media representatives from illegal interference and violence in their journalistic activities.

The Charter of Journalistic Ethics urges the government to protect the safety of journalists and create appropriate working conditions for the media in the course of their professional activities so that citizens have the opportunity to receive information about the current processes.

The Charter of Journalistic Ethics will always protect the rights of journalists and the high standard of freedom of expression.

At the beginning of 2019, high-ranking officials made numerous statements regarding the legislative amendments related to defamation.

According to the President of Georgia, there is a need for legislation that provides more protection for both human dignity and freedom of speech. The Chairman of the Parliament of Georgia stated that the discussion must start not only on the issue of defamation but also with regard to the problem of severe insult and increased use of offensive language.