We believe that justice has not been properly served in the case of Vakho Sanaia, and that the court’s lenient attitude to the fact of the attack on the journalist and his family members is a further threat of increasing aggression against the critical media.
Today, on the 25th of August 2021, the Tbilisi City Court issued a verdict in the attack case on Vakho Sanaia, the Formula TV anchor: the court sentenced all three defendants to the minimum punishment – 6 months imprisonment, which expired today. As a result, they will leave prison today. In addition, the judge did not allow the injured journalist’s lawyer – the chairperson of the Georgian Democratic Initiative, Eduard Marikashvili – to enter the courtroom.
All three defendants were arrested under Articles 126 (violence) and 156 (persecution) of the Georgian Criminal Code. The court sentenced defendant Suliko Sakevarishvili to 6 months’ imprisonment and community service for physical violence against Sanaia on discriminatory grounds, while Giorgi Mengashvili and Vazha Gigauri were found guilty under Articles 126 and 156 and sentenced to 6 months’ imprisonment. The latter was also fined with GEL 2,500.
The incident took place on 25 February 2021, when Sanaia and his family members were attacked. At the time, the Coalition appealed to the law enforcement to respond to the incident with a swift and effective investigation. In addition, through the joint manifesto of the media and civil society, signed by more than 1,000 people, citizens jointly appealed to the highest decision-makers, the Georgian PM, MPs, and the leader of the Georgian Dream party, demanding that they take immediate measures to ensure the safety of journalists.
It is regrettable that despite the urgent need, the Government has not taken appropriate steps to improve the media environment, the state does not protect the lives and safety of media representatives. The senior officials of the ruling party are in political opposition to the critical media. They respond to the journalists’ questions with hate speech, aggression and boycott and renew the attack on the media.
Since 5 July 2021, following a large-scale attack on journalists and cameramen in Tbilisi, the lives and health of media representatives have been particularly at risk. This fact increases the responsibility of the court to properly examine any attempt to intimidate journalists and to take a decision without political motives. It is regrettable that the court did not properly evaluate the risks in the case of Vakho Sanaia.
At the same time, we believe that the judge’s verbal order, which allegedly relied on COVID-regulations and only prevented the injured journalist’s lawyer from attending the hearing, constitutes an unjustified interference in the lawyer’s professional activity. This case is a dangerous attempt to deprive journalists of legal assistance and to deprive human rights defenders of the opportunity to provide adequate support to the media.
Signatory organizations:
Institute for Development of Freedom of Information – IDFI
Media Club
Media Development Foundation
Media Rights
Alliance of Regional Broadcasters
TV Net
Transparency International – Georgia
International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy – ISFED
The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association – GYLA
The Georgian Democracy Initiative – GDI
Georgian Regional Media Association – GRMA
The Georgian Ethics of Journalistic Charter
Rights Georgia
Open Society Foundation OSGF
