The Institute for Reporters` Freedom and Safety, Institute for Human Rights and Social Media Council Georgia strongly condemn police brutality against journalists in Tbilisi, Georgia, during the rally in front of the Parliament on November 28, 29 and 30.
The organizations stand in solidarity with the statement by the Media Ombudsman of Georgia of November 29 that denounced the excessive use of force by police. The Ombudsman emphasized the injuries sustained by journalists and the damage to their equipment, and called for immediate accountability from those responsible.
At least 35 journalists were assaulted by police during the violent dispersal of the civic protest in Tbilisi. Among them was TV Pirveli journalist Mariam Gaprindashvili, who was viciously thrown to the ground and beaten by law enforcement officers while performing her professional duties. Guram Rogava, a member of Formula TV, was also injured, resulting in severe injuries to his cranium and neck.
In addition, 107 demonstrators were detained on 29th of November alone, which is indicative of the escalating severity of police actions against civic activists and media workers. The pattern of assaults, which includes the confiscation and damage to journalists’ equipment, indicates that these attacks were not random but rather deliberate endeavors to muzzle media professionals. The Criminal Code of Georgia’s Articles 154 (unlawful interference with journalists’ work) and 156 (persecution of journalists) are clearly violated by such actions. The Georgian authorities’ bleak history of media repression is substantiated by these incidents.
Our assessment of the situation was recently underscored during the October 2024 general election, with reports of approximately 70 journalists, who were subjected to assaults and obstructions of their work on a national scale.
The undersigned organizations are demanding an immediate, comprehensive, and impartial investigation into the incidents of police violence against journalists, including the cases of Guram Rogava and Mariam Gaprindashvili. They also urge the Georgian authorities to adhere to international media freedom standards, guarantee the protection of journalists, and fulfil their obligations under the European Media Freedom Act.