One year before the parliamentary elections, when the openness of the Parliament and increased access to information about the activities of individual parliamentarians are even more important, the Parliament has become an even more closed and opaque institution for representatives of the critical media.
The media environment has deteriorated systemically in Georgia during the past year (03/05/2022-03/05/2023), which is also confirmed by assessments of international authoritative organizations.
The Media Advocacy Coalition considers unacceptable any attempt to discredit journalists simply for requesting public information, as evidenced by the cases of disclosure of personal data by administrative bodies and the illegal transfer of such data to third parties.
This report provides an overview of how anti-Western and pro-Russian disinformation narratives are disseminated in Georgia, who the main disseminators are, and how the Georgian government is countering them in the face of ongoing challenges. Findings:
Media Advocacy Coalition responds to the verdict [1] ruled by the Tbilisi Court of Appeal on January 16, 2023, according to which those convicted of committing organized group violence on media representatives on July 5, 2021, were acquitted, and the sentence imposed by the Court of First Instance was reduced. The verdict represents another step taken against journalists, freedom of expression, and democratic processes.
The judgment of the Tbilisi City Court that partially granted the claim of the Mayor of Tbilisi, Kakha Kaladze, against TV Pirveli and the journalist Maia Mamulashvili constitutes a transition of the recent dangerous tendency of pressure on the media to a new stage, when representatives of the authorities use the court to oppress critical media.
On 18 April, Transparency International Georgia will file suit in Tbilisi City Court to defend the rights of 24 journalists from TV companies Mtavari, Formula and TV Pirveli as well as On.ge, who suffered injuries during the 5 July 2021 event, as the state failed to fulfill its constitutional duty to ensure safety of their activity.
Eleven candidates, including two former directors, compete for three vacant seats on the Board of Trustees of Public Broadcaster.
Critical media outlets are facing a number of difficulties in Georgia.