Tbilisi. The Civil Society Institute has identified winners in a competition “Journalists for Social Changes”. The competition is part of the campaign “ThisCountryIsYours” and aims at identifying journalists throughout Georgia who have regularly and competently covered challenges and development opportunities that civil society faces. Organizations, operating in regions of Georgia, had a possibility to select the best journalist who works in their region, as well as to nominate one representative of central media. On January 17, the Civil Society Institute announced the winners: Guria - Tamta Dolidze - TV Company “Guria”;  Adjara - Irakli Kurua – TV program Hashtag, Adjara TV;  Imereti - Tamuna Kavtaradze, Mega TV; Kakheti - Mariam Megrelishvili - TV “Tanamgzavri”;  Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti - Nana Khubutia - live press;  Samtskhe - Javakheti - Rusudan Gvaramadze - TV9;  Kvemo Kartli - Ekaterine Eradze - Marneuli TV; Shida Kartli - Nino Chibchiuri - TV Company “Trialeti”;  Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti - Marine Svanidze - kvira.ge;  Central - Mikheil Sesiashvili - Mtavari Arkhi;  CSI special prize - Netgazeti.  The civil campaign “ThisCountryIsYours” is carried out within the framework of “Civil Society Development Initiative”, implemented by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS) in cooperation with the Civil Society Institute (CSI), Center for Training and Consultancy (CTC), Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia (CSRDG) and Education Development and Employment Center (EDEC). The project is financed by both the European Union and Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

Tbilisi. Media Advocacy Coalition calls on the Ministry of Finance to create equal tax conditions for broadcasters and make the process of paying off a budgetary debt transparent and fair. “Due to non-payment of a budgetary debt, the Revenue Service submitted a collection order to the accounts of TV Companies TV Pirveli, Rustavi 2, Kavkasia, as well as several regional channels. Georgian authorities have not used such an automatic sanction against major broadcasters for years”, - is noted in the statement released by the coalition. Read more… Source: https://www.qartia.ge

Tbilisi. Mediacritic ge is a new web platform, which, from now on, offers professional and qualified, impartial media criticism to the public. According to creators of the web platform, the purpose of the new online platform is to promote critical perception of information and, ultimately, a thoughtful and informed choice. The media criticism platform has been created by the Media Academy of the Georgian National Communications Commission in order to promote media literacy. Read more… Source: http://media.ge

Tbilisi. Media Advocacy Coalition responds to the process of selection of a director of Adjara TV. “Media Advocacy Coalition considers that developments, which took place recently in regard to Adjara Public Broadcaster, including selection of members of the Advisory Board by the Supreme Council of Adjara and further actions, give the ground to assume that the process is managed by the government”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. The Board of the Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics expresses its concern over frequent attacks of members of the government on media representatives. “Such attitude of the government towards certain means of media is an indicator for us that the government is eager to change and intimidate journalists, or even make them think whether to disseminate critical facts about and pose tough questions to any branch of the government or not”, -is noted in the statement of the Board of the Charter, - “We call on the international community to pay more attention, along with intensifying political processes in Georgia, to facts of attack on journalists and attempt of their discrimination committed by state authorities, as well as to provide an appropriate appraisal to each similar case and respond accordingly”. Read more… Source: https://www.qartia.ge

Tbilisi. By the decision of the Board of the Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics, Giorgi Mgeladze has become Executive Director of the Charter. Until this appointment, Giorgi Mgeladze worked as Investigative Reporter for studio “Monitor”, received numerous awards for best investigative film. He also directed the media monitoring group of the Charter of Journalistic Ethics, was a board member and Chair of the Board of the Charter. Read more… Source: www.qartia.ge

Samtskhe-Javakheti. Public Defender and Deputy Public Defender met with representatives of the media and civil sector in Akhalkalaki and Ninotsminda. The challenges of ethnic minorities in the region, the issue of teaching the Georgian language, shortcomings in the 4+1 programme and the problem of the low quality of general education were discussed at the meeting. Read more…  Source: http://ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. Hate crimes was a topic of yet another, two-day training organized by IDFI, with the participation of the journalists and prosecutors from the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia. Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Human Rights Center requests the prosecutor’s office to grant victim status to the 38 journalists who covered the protest demonstration in Rustaveli Avenue on June 20.  ‘Human Rights Center calls on the Office of the Prosecutor General of Georgia: to conduct investigation over the criminal cases under the Article 154 of the CCG, which refers to the interference in the professional activities of journalists; to conduct comprehensive and impartial investigation and impose criminal liability over the perpetrators; to grant victim status to the citizens who received the injuries as a result of the dispersal of June 20, 2019 protest demonstration in accordance to the Article 56 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Georgia’, - Is mentioned in the statement of the organization.  Read more…  Source: http://www.humanrights.ge

Tbilisi. “Transparency International Georgia” will defend rights of journalists Nanuka Zhorzholiani and Nodar Meladze in court.  “There has been contested a decision of Paata Salia, Director General of TV Company Rustavi 2, based on which Nanuka Zhorzholiani and Nodar Meladze were illegally dismissed from the TV Company on the ground of gross violation of their official duties”.  Read more…   Source: The website of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. Media Development Foundation (MDF) published a new research, ‘Hate Speech – 2018’.  This report reflects the results of media monitoring and the data obtained through focus groups that were conducted between 1 January and 31 December 2018. The objective of the study was to reveal various forms of hate speech and sources of hate speech in media and public discourse as well as to analyze main trends.  Read more… Source: The web-page of the organization

Tbilisi. The Media Development Foundation (MDF) publishes an analysis of one-year media monitoring results - hate speech, 2018. “During the monitoring period there have been published 1814 statements with discriminatory content in the surveyed means of media. The biggest part of them is about xenophobia and constitutes 44.1%, while those regarding homophobic statements - 40.4%, discrimination on religious grounds (8.5%) and inspiration of hate speech on the basis of various factors - (4%). Statements with racist content form 3%”, - is stated on the website of the organization in a social network. Read more… Source:The website of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. ”Media Advocacy Coalition” responds to information released in regard to a “Batumelebi” edition.  “According to information released on September 21, 2019, relatives of a founder of “Batumelebi” are accused of attacking police. While Eter Turadze, Editor-in-chief, does not exclude that an action taken by police may be a message to the edition. “Media Advocacy Coalition” considers it necessary to determine whether the police action is linked with an activity of the media means and if so, the case should be given an appropriate qualification”, - is noted in the statement.  Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics compiled guidelines for combating hate speech. “Hate speech is often associated with all types of negative expressions. Abusive, defamatory or discrediting materials are perceived as hate speech. In reality, there is a big difference among them. Due to the fact that every country has a different unique contexts, it is difficult to determine what hate speech is, which terms, phrases and expressions may enhance a negative attitude toward any person. Notwithstanding, there is agreement as to what hate speech is based on. According to a recommendation, adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in 1997, “Hate speech implies all forms of expression that disseminate, propagate, promote or justify racial hatred, xenophobia, anti-Semitism or other forms of intolerance, including nationalism, ethnocentrism, discrimination and hostility towards minorities or migrants”, - is stated in the information released by the Charter. Read more… Source: The website of the organization

Tbilisi. The Council of the Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics demands an investigation into the case related to the editor of “Guriis Moambe”.  “On September 9, Tea Ioseliani, the editor of “Guriis Moambe”, stated that she had been threatened by a stranger in a social network with killing her children. The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics addresses the Ministry of Internal Affairs urging to investigate the case related to Tea Ioseliani in a timely manner, provide public with information about the progress as well as results of the investigation, and raise the issue of liability of people concerned in case the fact of the crime is confirmed”.  Read more… Source: The website of the organization

Tbilisi. Non-governmental organizations based in Georgia are addressing you in regard to the recent developments around Rustavi 2 TV. “We, the undersigned organizations, are calling on you to follow the developments around Rustavi 2 and thoroughly monitor all ongoing processes. It is important to preserve the broadcaster’s critical editorial policy and to prevent any violations of the labor rights of journalists”, is noted in the statement. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. Media Advocacy Coalition believes that independent media outlets are an important factor for the country's democratic development. The journalist acts in accordance with his own conscience and professional standards while his professional activities are protected from interference from the director and the owner. Therefore, it is important not to interfere with the journalist's editorial activity or the creative process and impose censorship. In addition, on the background of the ongoing processes, journalists' labor rights should be protected. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics addresses the Ministry of Internal Affairs with a public statement. “The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics came to know that while reporting on 2 rallies, taking place on July 8 on Rustaveli Avenue, journalists experienced aggression coming from part of the demonstrators that were trying to prevent them from performing their professional activities. In response to this fact, law enforcers advised reporters to leave the area instead of protecting them. Besides, journalists say that they have to explain to representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs why hindering their professional performance is crime”, - is noted in the statement, - “We address you with the request to inform each law enforcer that journalistic activities are protected by Georgian legislation, reporters attend a demonstration not as its supporters, but to work and inform public. Therefore, law enforcers are obliged to ensure their safety. Protect journalists from aggressive actions of various people and let them freely cover current development”. Read more… Source:The website of the organization

Tbilisi. The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics has released a statement in regard to the address made by a TV presenter of “Rustavi 2” via live broadcast.  "Unethical statements addressed to the President of Russia by Giorgi Gabunia, a presenter of a TV program “Post Scriptum” at the TV Company “Rustavi 2”, while presenting the program today, on July 7, cause damage to both “Rustavi 2” and Georgian ethical media, promote reduction of trust and respect towards media and journalists, as well as spread of hate speech, hinders establishment and development of democratic principles in the country. It is particularly responsible and ethical media that serves as a main tool while fighting for retention of freedom of speech and expression”, - is noted in the statement.  Read more… Source:The website of the organization

Tbilisi. The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics publishes an address of journalists to the government of Georgia and diplomatic corps. “We demand to reveal immediately and launch criminal prosecution against those law enforcers who directly targeted journalists that could be identified, though still suffered body injuries and were hindered from performing their professional activities”. Read more... Source: www.qartia.ge