Georgian Journalistic Ethic Charter Calls Upon Law Enforcement Bodies to Investigate Pressure upon INFO 9 Reporters

On July 6 the Georgian Journalistic Ethic Charter released a statement to condemn pressure upon the INFO 9 reporters.

“The Georgian Journalistic Ethic Charter is concerned about recent facts of physical or psychological pressure on the INFO 9 reporters. And it’s especially alarming when media outlets apply to these methods,” the statement reads.

The Charter underscores that a group of people has been chasing journalist Ekaterine Dugladze for a week now and declare themselves to be Media Group representatives. Seven men, five of them carrying video cameras, keep tracing the journalist and asking incorrect and provocative questions.

“The questions asked to Ekaterine Dugladze violate norms of the journalistic ethics since they refer not only to politics but private life too,” the Charter states and added that similar cases were observed with regard to Kvemo Kartli and Batumi-based camera crews.

“Reportedly, INFO 9 journalist was also abused in the village of Tsedisi,” reads the statement by the Charter.

The Georgian Journalistic Ethic Charter calls upon every journalist to follow ethic standards especially when trying to obtain interviews from their colleagues and urges to avoid interference into journalists’ professional activities.

“We believe the action by the Media Group representatives in relation to journalist Ekaterine Dugladze goes beyond the breach of ethical standards and implies the signs of criminal offence. Therefore we call upon investigative bodies to get interested into the aforementioned cases and launch investigation,” the statement released by the Georgian Journalistic Ethic Charter reads.

Media.ge