Statement of Nongovernmental Organizations about Footage Depicted on February 19, 2013

TV-Company Rustavi 2 and later other TV-Companies too depicted video-footage of the so-called special operation of November 24, 2004.

We believe that Rustavi 2 breached requirements of the Code of Conduct for Broadcasters by airing the video. Namely, the TV-Company supported dissemination of the positions of a party through neglecting possible interest of the source, did not try to check facts and search additional materials.

Journalist said: “This footage was made from the first minute when the car was stopped. I want to remind TV-viewers that it is non-stop footage that means the camera was not switched off when recording the operation. The footage shows how patrol police officers arrested people from the car accompanying Buta Robakidze and how they withdrew firearms from the car – a pistol and an automatic firearm.”

Consequently, with the journalist’s text the TV-Company presented the allegation of an interested person as a fact whilst it still needs additional expertise and analysis.

In the TV-story grave accusations were made against the member of Georgian Journalist Ethic Charter Vakhtang Komakhidze; however his reply or any indication that the TV-Company tried or would try to get in touch with him and present his opinion about the issue was not made by the journalist. By releasing the information in this way, the TV-Company assaulted a person, who did not participate in the program at all.

Besides, all TV-Companies, which depicted the footage, breached Article 35 Paragraphs 20, 23 and 24 of the Code of Conduct for Broadcasters. Namely, Paragraph 23 states: “When using archive materials containing tragedy and sorrow (including crime), the broadcaster shall try to mitigate potential trauma of the person presented in the material or/and his/her relatives.”

Although the depicted footage demonstrates famous case, we declare that presenting the people participating in the special operation without coverage and in degrading manner is also violation.

We call upon media sources not to disseminate unverified, degrading materials that violate right to personal life and promote interests of any party in this case.

Undersigned organizations are:

1. Georgian Journalistic Ethic Charter
2. Georgian Media-Monitoring Center
3. Public Attorney
4. Youth for Justice
5. International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy
6. Transparency International – Georgia
7. Media Club
8. Network of Information Centers
9. Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association
10. Human Rights Center
11. Media Institute