Statement of the Georgian Media Legal Defense Center

GYLA’s Georgian Media Legal Defense Center believes that in the process of interrogating citizens in the regions of Georgia by the Chamber of Control of Georgia officials, journalistic reporting is unlawfully obstructed.

According to the chairperson of the Chamber of Control of Georgia, Levan Bezhashvili, “information about whether budget estimates of political parties comply with the law is verified”. Although the administrative proceedings should have been conducted in an open manner, as established by the administrative legislation of Georgia, journalists were not even allowed to access the municipality building.

Currently the process of interrogating citizens continues. The opportunity to receive and impart information is limited for journalists. Furthermore, they are verbally informed that movement within municipalities has been limited as of today. According to the Georgian legislation, if a special permit is required for to access any of the administrative buildings, subsequent administrative act should exist. Furthermore, any interested individual should be informed about it in advance, as the regulation deals with a general rule of conduct and it is normative in nature. Otherwise, it would clearly violate the requirements of the Administrative Code of Georgia.

The GMLDC calls on the law enforcement officers to examine and investigate into the facts of unlawful obstruction in journalistic reporting in the process of interrogation of citizens by the Chamber of Control of Georgia.

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