Journalists Held Solidarity Demonstration near Ministry of Justice

Interpresnews

Journalists participating in the solidarity demonstration near the Ministry of Justice of Georgia requested investigation of intimidation facts [against journalists]. Representatives of Tbilisi based and regional media and nongovernmental organizations participated in the demonstration.

Journalist Zviad Koridze said that journalists working in the regions are subjected to total intimidation and this problem shall be resolved immediately.

“Cases of violence acts, interference in the professional activities of journalists are not investigated at all. There is no single case which was properly investigated or ended with trial. We cannot recall any public official who was punished for his/her interference in a journalist’s activities,” Koridze said.

Editor-in-chief of the magazine Liberali Shorena Shaverdashvili said many facts with regard to journalists’ intimidation are not investigated including the incidents of May 26, 2011.

“Tomorrow is anniversary of those events and facts were not investigated yet,” Shaverdashvili said.

Journalist Gela Mtivlishvili said Journalistic Ethic Charter continues their activities and will inform the diplomatic corps about general situation.

Irakli Melashvili from the nongovernmental organization Coalition Freedom of Choice joined the demonstration. He said the government is eager to hinder true information in the regions. “This process has acquired abnormal character. Twenty cases of journalists’ intimidation were revealed for the last one month that was caused by the government’s desire to maximally restrict spread of information in the regions,” Irakli Melashvili said.

Pavle Kublashvili from the parliamentary majority left the Ministry of Justice office during the demonstration process and he said journalists do significant job for the society and nobody shall hinder their activities.

Journalist Magda Popiashvili gave him poster with the slogan “Do Not Hamper Our Work!”

Solidarity demonstrations were held in the regions too.