Georgia Journalists to Unite Against Pressure from Authorities

In early February, representatives of major media outlets in the Republic of Georgia will sign a special agreement that will commit them to coordinate their efforts in the fight against censorship and infringement on freedom of speech. Furthermore, the journalists plan to establish a NGO which will provide legal protection to representatives of the “fourth estate.”

Such measures are especially important for Georgia in recent years, as the authorities are increasingly trying to take independent media under their control, said head of the Charter of Journalistic Ethics Zviad Koridze, reports the Georgia Times.

“There is great pressure on local journalists. There are such incidents in the capital, but mainly they happen in the regions. A journalist can receive an email from a former prosecutor threatening him. And if he sends a letter to the prosecutor’s office demanding a criminal case be launched, they not only don’t launch the case, but also don’t question the author of the letter or anyone else,” he said.

According to the journalist, sometimes going to the police about a complaint can cause more harm to journalists.

“There have been cases,” Koridze continued, “when security forces began to blackmail a journalist, threatening to distribute photos that would harm his reputation, such as, for example, that he’s in a relationship with some guy if he doesn’t cooperate with law enforcement agencies.”