On 29 August 2015 Imedi TV issued the statement on suspension of political talk show and presenting them to the viewers in the new format in 2016.

Producers and journalists of these two programs – Reaktsia and Imedis Kvira – issued joint statement in the social network, saying that suspending commercially beneficial programs in the beginning of the TV season, 1 year before the election raised suspicions. The editors and an anchor Inga Grigolia stated that Imedi’s decision was a result of political influence.  Their suspicions are confirmed by the fact that the journalists learned about the decision of the programs’ closure from TV, despite the fact that the programs had their new preview for the new fall season already recorded.

Imedi TV made its own statement in response, claiming that the journalists’ comments were baseless.

Inga Grigolia spoke about the government’s interference in the editorial issues even before the closure of her program. 2015 In March 2015 she publicly stated that the parliamentary faction of the Georgian Dream demanded from Imedi editors not to cover in Reaktsia the protest rally planned by the opposition National Movement for 21 March. 

While speaking about the closure of Imedi programs with Rustavi 2 journalists, representative of the Georgian Dream parliamentary majority Gogi Topadze said, that the anchors had been warned a number of times and that nobody could be forgiven for partiality.

Gogi Topadze, Georgian Dream: “The channel began to only criticize and insult the government and of course they had to take some measures. They have been warned a number of times, that they should be impartial, I also told them this a number of times. Such partiality is unforgivable.”

Ten opposition parties outside the Parliament made a statement on the programs’ closure, stating that closure of commercially profitable programs with high ratings could not be logically explained. They called on the international community to “pay attention to the increasing manifestations of authoritarianism in Georgia” .

According to the TV ratings measurement company TVMR data for Georgia, the talk show Reaktsia was among the 10 best TV programs of the year in the ratings for 2014.

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Closure of political talk shows during the pre-election period has been assessed as problematic by the NGOs – Transparency International Georgia, ISFED and MDF.

Statement of Media Development Foundation - http://bit.ly/20YF3HA

Statement of Transparency International Georgia- http://bit.ly/1Sxqxlh

International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy - http://bit.ly/249GodN

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On 19 July Tabula website photographer Alexander Giorgadze was arrested for alleged petty hooliganism and resistance to the police at the rally against Panorama Tbilisi.

According to the MIA, ten individuals were arrested during the rally against Panorama Tbilisi, near the Chancellery. Other 9 individuals were arrested for petty hooliganism. One of them was also accused on the basis of Article 45 – illegal use of small amount of drugs without doctor’s prescription.

Alexander Giorgadze was also arrested on 19 October 2014, at the protest rally near the house of the Prime Minister of Georgia. 

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According to the MIA, ten individuals were arrested during the rally against Panorama Tbilisi, near the Chancellery. Other 9 individuals were arrested for petty hooliganism. One of them was also accused on the basis of Article 45 – illegal use small amount of drugs without doctor’s prescription.

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On 18 July 2015 Tabula TV producer Lexo Machavariani was detained at the Stop Russia rally near the Chancellery, on the basis of Articles 166 and 173 of the Administrative Violations Code – petty hooliganism and resistance to the law enforcement officer.

According to the information disseminated by Tabula, Lexo Machavariani and other organizers of the rally were forced to move the car with the equipment required for the rally away from the spot of the rally. The footage of the incident shows that when being detained, Lexo Machavariani was not informed about the legal basis of his detention. The court decided to drop administrative case against Lexo Machavariani. 

On 22 July 2015 the Public Defender issued a statement saying that during the hearing the representatives of the law enforcement authorities brought Lexo Machavariani’s words “shameful police” as a supposed sign of petty hooliganism.  According to the Public Defender, with this the police excessively narrowed the margins of freedom of expression. 

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On 23 June Kvemo Kartli Information Center published the information that Azeri-language website renessans.ge received death threats after the publication of cartoon.

According to the information, the threats came from the chairman of Marneuli Imam Ali Charity Foundation Javid Gurbanov, who sent the following message to journalists Aida Tagieva, Aidan Yusibova and editor Nugzar Japarov:  „If you do not delete this cartoon, if you continue these insults, I swear by Allah that your blood will be spilled. I swear by God in whom you do not believe that I will take off your heads with my own hands. I am sure, your blood is more precious than the ink of your pen“. 

According to renessans.ge journalist Aida Tagieva, they published the cartoon depicting a cage broken by journalists who went out of it with books in their hands. According to her, the cartoon was taken by some people as depicting the mosque, which became the reason of the threat.

Renessans.ge journalists provided the media and law enforcement agencies with the letters they had received confirming the threats.

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The journalists addressed the police in June 2015. Isani-Samgori police division started to study the case. However, according to Aida Tagieva, this has not brought any result yet.

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The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics and the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association has published the statements. They called on investigative bodies  to ensure fast, comprehensive and objective investigation on this case, as well as to ensure physical safety of the journalists

Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association - http://bit.ly/1RMQWuy

Statement of  Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics - http://bit.ly/1VL7fHa (Available in Georgian)

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In June 2015 personal pages of all administrators of the 13 June Volunteers Community Facebook group were simultaneously blocked, resulting in the abolishment of the group.

Ministry of Internal Affairs launched investigation into this incident. According to the Ministry’s information, the case was investigated by the Cyber Crime Division of the Criminal Police Department, on the basis of Article 284 of the Criminal Code, which regulates an unauthorized access to computer system.

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Ministry of Internal Affairs launched investigation into this incident. According to the Ministry’s information, the case was investigated by the Cyber Crime Division of the Criminal Police Department, on the basis of Article 284 of the Criminal Code, which regulates an unauthorized access to computer system.

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On 4 March 2015, during the rally on the Rose Revolution Square, organized by three political parties – Reformers, Free Georgia and Christian-Democratic Movement – a photo correspondent of Interpressnews (IPN) agency, Irakli Gedenidze, was physically and verbally attacked. Irakli Gedenidze was injured and hospitalized as a result of the beating. His camera was also damaged.

According to Irakli Gedenidze, a person who came out of a car demanded from him to delete the materials he had taken. Gedenidze refused and explained that he was a journalist and was performing his professional activities. After that Gedenidze was physically assaulted.

Several hours after the incident police arrested Ivane Begiashvili for interference in professional activity of journalist and damage or destruction of an item (Part2, Article 154 and Part 1, Article 188, Criminal Code of Georgia).

As a result of this incident, Free Georgia party  expelled Giorgi Begiashvili, who, according to the chairman of the party Kakha Kukava, did not stop his son Ivane Begiashvili in time and only took part in the verbal confrontation.

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Several hours after the incident police arrested Ivane Begiashvili for interference in professional activity of journalist and damage or destruction of an item (Part2, Article 154 and Part 1, Article 188, Criminal Code of Georgia).

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The Media Development Foundation and the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association  responded to the fact. TV Company Maestro made a statement as well. TV company refused to cover the activity of political forces organizing protests, unless  leaders of the political forces publicly apologize to Irakli Gedenidze for the incident.

The Media Development Foundation - http://bit.ly/1WrpjXd

The Georgian Young Lawyers' Association - http://bit.ly/1nG4wDR (Available in Georgian)

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