The Media Advocacy Coalition is responding to the increasing illegal fines imposed on journalists by the “Georgian Dream” police. The Ministry of Internal Affairs is accusing journalists of blocking roads while they were fulfilling their professional duties and covering ongoing events.
In the last few months, numerous cases have emerged where media representatives were fined while covering protests:
- On December 13, 2024, German Salia, director of the local Poti television “Metzkhre Talgha” (“Ninth Wave”) and co-chair of the Regional Broadcasters Alliance, was fined 1,000 GEL while covering a protest march in Zugdidi, despite explaining his professional status to law enforcement officers.
- “April” media’s photojournalist Vakho Karelis is being accused of blocking a road on January 26, 2025, while covering a protest on Rustaveli Avenue. Despite wearing a press badge, an Interior Ministry representative demanded that Karelis himself prove his professional status.
- “Tabula” journalists Beka Jikurashvili and Nikoloz Chirakadze are accused of blocking roads in February, despite both performing their professional duties and wearing press badges.
- “Publika” journalist Basti Mgaloblishvili was informed by patrol police that he would be fined for blocking roads during the February 14 protest, while he was covering events and wearing a press badge.
- The investigative team “Studio Monitor” journalist Nino Shubladze is being accused of blocking the road on February 17. The journalist was performing her professional duties and filming the protest. She was wearing a press badge, and the video she recorded confirms that she was not standing on the road.
- Another “Studio Monitor” journalist Nino Tsverava is accused of blocking the street on February 17, while Tsverava was performing her professional duties alongside her colleagues.
- Davit Kekenadze, a journalist for “Euronews,” was fined 5,000 GEL by the Tbilisi City Court. He was accused of blocking Rustaveli Avenue on January 3. The legal proceedings began before the amendments to the Administrative Offenses Code were implemented, which means that the fine was imposed by the court, fully satisfying the request of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. During the court hearing, Kekenadze and his lawyer stated that he was at the protest performing his journalistic duties, but the judge found this argument insufficient.
- Two journalists from “Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty” – Salome Chaduneli and Eka Kevanishvili – are also being accused by police of blocking roads. Salome Chaduneli is accused of blocking a road during the “Daitoves” protest on the embankment on November 10. Despite submitting documentation confirming her status as a journalist, her case was still sent to the Tbilisi City Court. Later, the police withdrew the case, though she has not yet received written confirmation of this. Eka Kevanishvili is accused of blocking Rustaveli Avenue on January 22, when she was filming a protest participant with a cameraman. She has also submitted relevant documentation but has not yet received notification about whether the legal proceedings against her have been terminated.
- On February 21, “Radio Free Liberty” journalist Giorgi Diasamidze received a call from the police informing him about a 5000 GEL fine, which was issued to him on February 17 for “artificially blocking the road” in the vicinity of the Parliament. Diasamidze was fulfilling his professional duties during the peaceful demonstration. As the number of people increased, the demonstration participants blocked Rustaveli Avenue.
- TV Pirveli photographer Giorgi Mosiashvili shares on social media that the police called him and informed him about a 5,000 GEL fine for allegedly blocking the road. When he stated that he works for a television station and was performing his professional duties at the protest by taking photos and footage, the police representative said they would verify this information. However, one minute later they called back and told him that they had reviewed the footage and in their opinion, Mosiashvili was not performing professional duties but was blocking the road, therefore he was fined.
The Coalition assesses this practice of imposing fines as deliberate pressure on the media. Unfortunately, these cases are not isolated incidents but part of the “Georgian Dream” policy aimed at intimidating independent journalists and restricting their professional activities. From November 28 of last year until today, more than 100 incidents have occurred where media representatives were attacked, threatened, had their equipment damaged, or were illegally obstructed while performing their professional duties. Prisoner of conscience Mzia Amaglobeli has been in illegal detention for more than a month. None of the individuals who committed violence against journalists have been identified or held accountable.
The Media Advocacy Coalition demands that “Georgian Dream” immediately cease the persecution of journalists during their professional activities and immediately cancel the fines issued against journalists.
The list of fined journalists is updatable.
