Government stands firm on Imedi
By Nino Mumladze
Wednesday, November 21
The Georgian government is working with European colleagues to ensure that Imedi TV airs “unbiased” coverage after it is allowed to resume broadcasts, Parliamentary Speaker Nino Burjanadze said at a televised parliament session on Tuesday.
The same standard of “objectivity” and “neutrality” goes for every Georgian TV network, she said.
“And that in no way means government flattery, but neither does it mean calling for the public [to overthrow the state],” Burjanadze added.
While last Friday’s lifting of emergency rule allowed the rest of the country’s news media to restart broadcasts, authorities suspended Imedi TV’s broadcast license for three months.
Imedi TV representatives say their offices were ransacked by special forces officers as riot police violently dispersed anti-government protestors on November 7.
Burjanadze did not suggest when the television network, widely viewed as pro-opposition and accused by the government of inciting a coup attempt, could be back on air.
A presidential election and plebiscite on parliamentary election schedules will be held on January 5.
Meanwhile, foreign ministers from EU member states added to the chorus of concern for Georgia’s civic society.
At a November 19 summit in Brussels, Poland’s newly appointed foreign minister offered to help mediate between the state and the Imedi media group, which is now owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp.
“Like once before in Ukraine, when various Polish organizations contributed to peaceful resolution of the crisis [there], we should support these processes…in Georgia as well,” Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said, according to the RIA Novosti news agency.
Sikorski added that Warsaw would be getting involved in negotiations here at the request of both US and EU officials.
Polish news sources suggested that the current Polish president, accompanied by other prominent figures, would visit Georgia soon.
In other developments, Human Rights Ombudsman Sozar Subari demanded that Imedi’s radio service be allowed to resume broadcasts immediately.
Radio Imedi’s studios have been sealed off by police, but Subari says the suspension of Imedi TV’s license should not extend to the popular radio station.
“That Radio Imedi is not [allowed] on air is absolutely illegal,” the ombudsman argued, adding that his efforts have helped reopen small Tbilisi broadcaster Kavkasia TV and Batumi-based TV 25, both shut down soon after Imedi TV.
Subari claimed that the “illegal and groundless” decision to strip Imedi TV of its license was, at least, supported by official documentation.
“No similar documents exist regarding Radio Imedi,” he told Rustavi 2 on Tuesday after meeting with Radio Imedi staffers.
Station director Nona Kandiashvili confirmed the ombudsman’s statements.
“We haven’t received any documents or notification on why we can’t resume broadcasts,” she said.
Radio Imedi journalists denied airing statements calling for the overthrow of the government. Authorities have not provided examples of the alleged broadcasts, the journalists point out, even though they are now in possession of Imedi’s archives.
With no sign the government will loosen up on Imedi before the January vote, the opposition coalition is planning a mass protest on November 25 in support of free media.
The same standard of “objectivity” and “neutrality” goes for every Georgian TV network, she said.
“And that in no way means government flattery, but neither does it mean calling for the public [to overthrow the state],” Burjanadze added.
While last Friday’s lifting of emergency rule allowed the rest of the country’s news media to restart broadcasts, authorities suspended Imedi TV’s broadcast license for three months.
Imedi TV representatives say their offices were ransacked by special forces officers as riot police violently dispersed anti-government protestors on November 7.
Burjanadze did not suggest when the television network, widely viewed as pro-opposition and accused by the government of inciting a coup attempt, could be back on air.
A presidential election and plebiscite on parliamentary election schedules will be held on January 5.
Meanwhile, foreign ministers from EU member states added to the chorus of concern for Georgia’s civic society.
At a November 19 summit in Brussels, Poland’s newly appointed foreign minister offered to help mediate between the state and the Imedi media group, which is now owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp.
“Like once before in Ukraine, when various Polish organizations contributed to peaceful resolution of the crisis [there], we should support these processes…in Georgia as well,” Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said, according to the RIA Novosti news agency.
Sikorski added that Warsaw would be getting involved in negotiations here at the request of both US and EU officials.
Polish news sources suggested that the current Polish president, accompanied by other prominent figures, would visit Georgia soon.
In other developments, Human Rights Ombudsman Sozar Subari demanded that Imedi’s radio service be allowed to resume broadcasts immediately.
Radio Imedi’s studios have been sealed off by police, but Subari says the suspension of Imedi TV’s license should not extend to the popular radio station.
“That Radio Imedi is not [allowed] on air is absolutely illegal,” the ombudsman argued, adding that his efforts have helped reopen small Tbilisi broadcaster Kavkasia TV and Batumi-based TV 25, both shut down soon after Imedi TV.
Subari claimed that the “illegal and groundless” decision to strip Imedi TV of its license was, at least, supported by official documentation.
“No similar documents exist regarding Radio Imedi,” he told Rustavi 2 on Tuesday after meeting with Radio Imedi staffers.
Station director Nona Kandiashvili confirmed the ombudsman’s statements.
“We haven’t received any documents or notification on why we can’t resume broadcasts,” she said.
Radio Imedi journalists denied airing statements calling for the overthrow of the government. Authorities have not provided examples of the alleged broadcasts, the journalists point out, even though they are now in possession of Imedi’s archives.
With no sign the government will loosen up on Imedi before the January vote, the opposition coalition is planning a mass protest on November 25 in support of free media.