The media environment in Georgia is getting worse. Georgian Dream is running a deliberate, coordinated campaign to silence free media, harass journalists, and cut the public off from alternative sources of information.
In recent days alone, we have recorded several cases of persecution:
Formula fined for its choice of words. The Communications Commission fined TV Formula 10,000 GEL for using phrases such as “Dream’s Prime Minister,” “Georgian Dream’s State Security Service,” and “Ivanishvili’s Prime Minister” in its news broadcasts. Like earlier rulings against Formula and TV Pirveli, this decision abuses content regulation to censor broadcasters and put financial and legal pressure on them.
Vakho Sanaia targeted again. In July, the TV Formula anchor was sentenced to 14 days of administrative detention for his social media posts. Now the Ministry of Internal Affairs, including its newly created Hate Crime Department, has opened another case against him over Facebook posts and a video. This is targeted persecution, meant to intimidate independent journalists.
Bera Ivanishvili threatens lawsuits. The son of Georgian Dream founder and former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili has announced defamation suits against media outlets and individuals. With state institutions captured, the courts included, and with Ivanishvili’s influence over the authorities, this is a real threat of SLAPPs (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation). Such lawsuits do not protect anyone’s rights. They exist to drain the media financially and legally.
Smear campaign against Studio Monitor. After the investigative outlet released a film on the alleged interests of Bidzina Ivanishvili’s family and Vano Chkhartishvili, a businessman close to Georgian Dream, senior officials and pro-government media launched a coordinated campaign to discredit it. Attacks like these stigmatize journalists and encourage hatred and violence against them.
These are not isolated incidents. They reflect a deliberate Georgian Dream policy that forces journalists and citizens to live and work under restrictive laws, systematic persecution, and total impunity for those responsible.
The Media Advocacy Coalition stands in full solidarity with every independent journalist who, despite growing pressure, blackmail, and persecution, keeps reporting and keeps the public informed.
