Sozar Subari:”It Is Early to Spread Information About Death of Georgian Media”

Ana Sheshaberidze

mari otarashvili

On December 25, authors of best journalistic investigation were awarded in the Art-Café “Caravan”. The competition “Human Rights-My Everyday Life” was organized by the Human Rights Center and South Caucasus Network of Human Rights Defenders.

The Center has organized the fourth annual competition on human rights to expose best journalistic works of the year.

This year, jury nominated 4 best works. The jury members were: member of the Council of Advisors to the UN Human Rights High Commissioner and former public defender of Georgia Sozar Subari, media-expert Zviad Koridze and journalist Tea Topuria.

The winner journalists are: Giorgi Mgeladze, Nana Biganishvili, Nino Mikiashvili and Mari Otarashvili. According to the competition conditions, each of them received 300 Euro as a prize.

According to the jury members, it was very difficult to select the best works

giorgi mgeladze

because many good works were submitted by applicants. “Discussing these articles convinced me that it was early to speak about the death of Georgian media. Although huge money is spent to bribe and control journalists and many difficulties are in their everyday life, journalism still exists in Georgia and it is charm of democracy,” said Sozar Subari and added that the competition is very successful.

Journalistic investigation of the journalist Giorgi Mgeladze for Studio Monitor “State VS Private Property” was published in the magazine “Liberal” and it was about deprivation of properties in Batumi. These people have invested millions of GEL in private business.

Journalistic investigation of journalist Nana Biganishvili for the Studio “Monitor” “From Cell to Cell” was also published in the magazine “Liberal”. Sozar Subari said this article proves that topic of political prisoners is still urgent in the country.

nana biganishvili

The jury members underscored the commitment of Mari Otarashvili, journalist for the newspaper “Resonance”, who prepared the reportage from the occupied Akhalgori district under a huge risk of herself; the title of the article is: “Way from Tbilisi to Akhalgori Is Too Long Now.”

Jury members said that journalist Nino Mikiashvili had submitted several good articles and it was difficult to select best of them. Finally, they selected journalistic investigation of Nino Mikiashvili “Special Unit Did Not Know Who They Killed.”
Winner journalists appreciated the awards and said it was particularly pleasant for them that such a competent jury nominated the winners.

“I think, we, the NGOs should do much more to encourage journalists because

nino miqiashvili

they have to work in very hard situation and it shall be praised. We want to express our gratitude towards them with similar activities and to tell that they are people who say “stark truth”,” said Ucha Nanuashvili, executive director of the Human Rights Center.

Coordinator of the South Caucasus Network of Human Rights Defenders in Georgia Ana Natsvlishvili stated that similar competition will be announced again, supposedly in Spring of next year, and not only printed media will have possibility to participate in it.