Georgia



From the Communiqué

13 November 2007

PRESS SILENCED IN STATE OF EMERGENCY

Regional and international press freedom groups are demanding that the Georgian government immediately restore all news broadcasts and lift a state of emergency imposed after police violently broke up anti-government protests in the capital last week.
17 July 2007

ARTICLE 19 REPORT HIGHLIGHTS ACCESS TO INFORMATION IN POST-CONFLICT SOCIETIES

Access to comprehensive and accurate information increases people's sense of safety while the lack of reliable information fuels insecurity, an ARTICLE 19 report on post-conflict societies has found.
20 April 2005

ARTICLE 19 SURVEYS ACCESS TO INFORMATION IN ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN, GEORGIA

ARTICLE 19 has published a new report highlighting the need for Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia to implement laws enabling the media and citizens to better access public information. The report assesses media laws and media ownership in each country and concludes that media in all three countries face significant barriers in accessing government information.
10 March 2004

HARSH TREATMENT OF JOURNALISTS, HARSH LAWS

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported on 5 March, 2004, that Vakhtang Komakhidze, a reporter for the "60 Minutes" programme on independent television station Rustavi-2, was brutally attacked that day in the autonomous republic of Ajaria in southern Georgia.
18 February 2003

"SERIOUS CONCERN" OVER PRESS FREEDOM: COUNCIL OF EUROPE

Harassment and physical attacks against journalists, and a government proposal to stiffen penalties for the defamation of public officials, are giving rise to serious concern about press freedom in Georgia, says a new report released by the Council of Europe.
6 November 2001

RAID ON TV STATION SPARKS PROTESTS

Street protests have gripped Georgia's capital Tbilisi, following an attempt by authorities to shut down the offices of independent television station Rustavi-2, report the Journalists Trade Union (JuHI), Index on Censorship (INDEX), the International Press Institute (IPI), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). According to IPI, on 31 October, officials from the Ministry of Security attempted a raid on the offices of Rustavi-2. They were thwarted by a crowd of several hundred demonstrators who prevented them from entering the premises. CPJ says ministry officials claimed that the station had been avoiding payment of approximately 1 million laris (US$480,000) in taxes, though Rustavi-2 staff say officials conducted a tax audit a week ago and found no irregularities.

Alerts

Journalist receives death threats from authorities 23 February 2010 Government department threatens to blackmail journalist 3 December 2009 IFJ endorses joint Russian and Georgian demand to end media restrictions 10 November 2009 Journalist sentenced to prison for libeling de facto president of Abkhazia 20 October 2009 Russian journalist faces jail term on forgery charges 22 September 2009 Journalist accused of insult and slander 21 September 2009 Opposition journalist released from prison after serving full four-year term for alleged "extortion" 28 August 2009 Journalist attacked by police at protest rally 29 June 2009 Polish television crew freed in South Ossetia 11 September 2008 Polish television crew detained in South Ossetia 9 September 2008 Journalist wounded by sniper; Israeli journalist shot at by Russian soldiers; two radio stations ransacked 19 August 2008 Azeri television crew, Turkish journalists fired upon by Russian troops in Gori, reporting equipment seized 18 August 2008 Lack of transparency, restricted flow of information fuel conflict, hamper long term peace, says ARTICLE 19 15 August 2008 Turkish journalists injured in attack, assaulted and detained by Russian soldiers 14 August 2008 Several Georgian, Russian websites blocked following attack by rival groups, hackers 14 August 2008 In Gori, Israeli journalist seriously injured, Trialeti radio-TV station ceases broadcasting; reporters denied access to Tbilisi victims 14 August 2008 Dutch cameraman killed, reporter wounded during bombing of Gori 12 August 2008 Five Russian, two Turkish journalists also injured in South Ossetia 12 August 2008 Two journalists killed, two missing, more injured while covering conflict in Ossetia 11 August 2008 Acting president says suspended TV station can resume broadcasting 4 December 2007

Reports

Attacks on the Press in 2008: Georgia 12 March 2009 World Report 2009: Georgia 22 January 2009 Annual Report 2008: Georgia 16 April 2008 World Report 2008: Georgia 3 April 2008 Attacks on the Press in 2007: Georgia 2 April 2008 Freedom of the Press 2007: Georgia 27 March 2008
 
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