The arrest of journalist Vakho Sanaia is a blatant violation of media and freedom of expression.
According to information disseminated by the media, Vakho Sanaia’s arrest is presumably connected to the new repressive law under which peaceful citizens and protest participants are being persecuted. According to TV channel “Formula,” the arrest of Vakho Sanaia aims to intimidate the journalist himself and the independent media as a whole.
Such pressure on media representatives is not an exception – especially in recent years, when media repression by “Georgian Dream” has taken on a systematic and organized nature. These kinds of actions are not only an attack on the media but also a threat to the freedom of every individual citizen.
The coalition expresses solidarity with Vakho Sanaia, all his colleagues, and the peaceful demonstrators who are trying to defend their rights. We demand the immediate release of Vakho Sanaia and all citizens who have been unlawfully detained.
