Photo : EPA-EFE/DAVID MDZINARISHVILI
Joint statement of IPI’s Global Networks of leading editors
We, members of the IPI global network and IPI’s Central and Eastern Europe independent media network, strongly condemn the targeted, deliberate, and often brutal attacks on journalists by state security forces and private individuals during the current wave of protests in Georgia. The protests were sparked by the government’s decision announced on November 28 that Georgia would halt its EU membership negotiations until the end of 2028.
In these dark times for press freedom and democracy in Georgia, we stand in full support of the courageous journalists who continue their vital work of informing the public despite an incredibly hostile and dangerous environment. Their work is indispensable—not only for informing Georgia’s public, but also the world, of the unfolding events.
Journalists have been viciously beaten, verbally assaulted, threatened, and detained. Their equipment has been confiscated and destroyed, and their work repeatedly obstructed. At the same time, government smear campaigns to discredit independent journalism have continued unabated.
According to local media freedom organizations, since November 28, at least 90 journalists have faced physical assault, verbal abuse, or obstruction as police violently dispersed the protests. Most of the injured journalists represent independent and government-critical outlets based in the capital, Tbilisi.
This unprecedented assault on the media in Georgia comes amid a rapid deterioration of press freedom and a broader scaling back of democratic freedoms in the country. Over the past few months, the media environment has become increasingly hostile and dangerous, as legal and institutional tools have been weaponized to harass and curtail critical voices.
Despite these grave circumstances, we are inspired by the bravery and resilience of Georgia’s free media. Your work is vital, and your courage is an inspiration to us. Once again, we stand in full solidarity with you.
Signed:
1. Andras Pusztay – CEO, Telex.hu (Hungary)
2. Miroslava Kernová – Editor-in-Chief, Omediach.com (Slovakia)
3. Burak Ütücü – Special Correspondent, Euronews (Turkey)
4. Isa Myzyraj – Chairperson, Association of Journalists of Albania (Albania)
5. Lukas Burnar – Executive Director, Medienhaus Andererseits (Austria)
6. Alexander Vostrov – Deputy Director, Belarusian Investigative Center
7. Dunisani Ntsanwisi – Publisher, Nthavela Newspaper (South Africa)
8. Fredy Gsteiger – Deputy Editor-in-Chief, SRF (Switzerland)
9. Assen Yordanov – Director, Bivol.bg (Bulgaria)
10. Julie Antropova – Journalist (France)
11. Jovo Martinovic – Journalist, LUPA (Montenegro)
12. Ahmad Quraishi – Executive Director, Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC)
13. Shahid Wafa – Pakistan Television Corporation (Pakistan)
14. Gianluca Liva – Journalist (Italy)
15. Klaus Bonanomi – Editor, Radio SRF (Switzerland)
16. Charles A. Bambara – Journalist (Burkina Faso)
17. Polina Bachlakova – Freelance Journalist (Denmark)
18. Petr Oralek – Director of Strategy, ČTK (Czech Republic)
19. Rosaline Akweba OBAH – Journalist, PR Communication Executive (UK)
20. Isabel Pfaff – Journalist, SRF (Switzerland)
21. Ehsan Ahmed Sehar – President, Rural Media Network Pakistan
22. Klaus Ammann – Deputy Editor, Economics Department, Radio SRF (Switzerland)
23. Carlos Dada – Director, El Faro (El Salvador)
24. Alexandra Tyan – Video Journalist, Sphera Network (Italy)
25. Mohamed Ibrahim – President, Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) (Somalia)
26. Charlotte Jacquemart – SRF (Switzerland)
27. Anuška Delić – Editor-in-Chief, Oštro (Slovenia)
28. Wahid Bhat – Environment Editor, Ground Report (India)
29. Irma Dimitrdze – Journalist, Batumelebi & Netgazeti (Georgia)
30. Michael Schuster – Independent Journalist
31. Bjorn Sabo – Journalist, RA Stavanger (Norway)
32. Emre Kizilkaya – Editor, Journo.com.tr (Turkey)
33. Michal Klima – Journalist (Czech Republic)
34. Mamman Bello Hammeed – Editor-in-Chief, Peoples Daily Newspaper, Abuja (Nigeria)
35. Geoffrey Ekenna – Editor, Sunday Telegraph (Nigeria)
36. Adrian Mogoș – NewsRomania.net
37. Julius E. O. Fintelmann – Editorial Director, The European Correspondent (Netherlands)
38. Corinne Vella – The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation (Malta)
39. Peter Kokai – Financial Director, Press Freedom Foundation (Serbia)
40. Linda Graham – CEO, Broadcasting Scotland (Scotland)
41. Peter Hanák – Journalist, Aktuality.sk (Slovakia)
42. Julia Tappeiner – Freelance Journalist (Germany)
43. Vineet Malik – Editor-in-Chief, The Revelation (United Kingdom)
44. Gökhan Tan – Journalist (Turkey)
45. Bartosz Wieliński – Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Gazeta Wyborcza (Poland)
46. Christos Kazantzoglou – Content Editor Media
47. Jaroslaw Kurski – Journalist, Gazeta Wyborcza (Poland)
48. Damir Dapo – CEO, RTV SLON (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
49. Ibrahim Karci – Freelance Journalist (Germany-Turkey)
50. Sevgil Musaieva – Chief Editor, Ukrainska Pravda (Ukraine)
51. Lina Kushch – First Secretary, National Union of Journalists of Ukraine
52. Antoinette Nikolova – Balkan Free Media Initiative
53. Einar Tho – Editor-in-Chief, Haugesunds Avis (Norway)
54. Nataliia Pakhaichuk – Chairwoman, CID Media Group (Ukraine)
55. Méline Laffabry – Founder & Executive Director at Aidóni (France)
56. Sanjar Sohail – Publisher, 8am Media (Afghanistan/Canada)
57. Tőke János – CEO, Press Freedom Foundation (Serbia)
58. Galina Sidorova – Community of Investigative Journalists – Fond 19/29 (Russian Journalist, Georgia-based)
59. Oleg Grigorenko – 7×7 Horizontal Russia, Editor-in-Chief (Russia, Exiled)
60. Al Ngri Maeen – The Magazine is Attractive (Yemen)
61. Pavol Mudry – IPI Member (Slovakia)
62. Jaap Arriens – Photographer, Sipa USA (Poland)
63. David Mirejovsky – TV Reporter (Czech Republic)
64. Owais Aslam Ali – Secretary General, Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) (Pakistan)
65. Siromani Dhungana – Chairperson, Democracy Media Network (Nepal)
66. Juan Diego Montenegro – Photographer, Tierra de Nadie (Ecuador)
67. Anastasiia Korinovska – Editorial Product Manager, SUSPILNE (UA PBC) (Ukraine)
68. Emilia Sercan – Investigative Journalist (Romania)
69. Alex Raufoglu – State Department Correspondent, News Agency Turan
70. Anne Leppäjärvi – President, European Journalism Training Association (Finland)
71. Carsten von Nahmen – Managing Director, DW Akademie (Germany)
72. Lawal Ibrahim – Ex-Editor-in-Chief, Triumph Publishing Company, Kano (Nigeria)
73. Bojana Jovanović – Deputy Editor at KRIK (Serbia)
74. Angel Petrov – Reporter, Dnevnik (Bulgaria)
75. Eero Hyvönen – Chair, Council for Mass Media (Finland)
76. Svitlana Pustovit – Creative Director (Ukraine)
77. Nadiya Bedrychuk – National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (Ukraine)
78. Sergiy Tomilenko – President, National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (Ukraine)
