Human Rights Center Condemns Interference with Journalists' Work and Assaults on Media Freedom
By Messenger Staff
Monday, August 14, 2023
The Human Rights Center (HRC) condemns recent cases of interference in the professional activities of journalists and attempts to restrict media freedom.
According to the center, the facts of recent attacks and violence against media representatives in Georgia are worrying, "because there is a risk that media activities will be associated with working in health-threatening conditions, which is directly related to the restriction of media freedom, its right to disseminate information and ideas."
"Freedom of the press is a special part of the freedom of expression, which is protected by the European Convention on Human Rights. According to the first paragraph of Article 10 of the Convention, everyone has the freedom to express their opinion. This right includes a person's freedom to hold opinions, receive or impart information or ideas without interference from public authorities. "According to Article 154 of the Criminal Law Code of Georgia, it is punishable to illegally hinder a journalist in his professional activities, that is, to force him to disseminate information or refrain from its dissemination," the Center states.
The statement discusses three recent cases of attacks on media representatives, including the attack on Misha Mshvildadze, one of the founders of Formula.
"On June 27, one of the founders of the TV company Formula, Misha Mshvildadze, was attacked at the entrance of the shopping center. The defendant was arrested on June 28 and charged under Article 126, Part 1 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which refers to violence that caused physical pain to the victim. According to the information from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, statements made by Msvildadze in the public space became the motive for the violence committed by the accused. Currently, the accused has been placed in jail as a preventive measure, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs handed over the case to the Special Investigation Service for investigation. According to Misha Mshvildadze, state structures may have been involved in the planning and organization of the violence, in particular, one of the perpetrators of the attack may be an investigator of the State Security Service," reads the statement.
HRC calls on the government to conduct an independent and effective investigation into all such incidents in order to ensure a safe media environment, and for government officials to publicly condemn all cases of violence.
