Georgia / Europe & Central Asia

  
Publika reporter Aleksandre Keshelashvili suffered a broken nose following an assault by police officers before he was detained at a Tbilisi police station, among other reported incidents of journalists being assaulted while covering pro-European Union demonstrations. (Photo: Courtesy of Publika)

CPJ condemns police brutality against journalists covering Georgian protests

New York, December 4, 2024 – The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Georgian authorities to hold police officers accountable and ensure journalists’ safety following multiple reports of least 50 journalists injured during violent police dispersals of pro-European Union demonstrations between November 28 and December 3. “The protection of journalists is a hallmark of democratic…

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Supporters of Georgia's opposition parties hold a rally to protest against the results of a parliamentary election, which the opposition say were rigged, on the eve of the new parliament's first session in Tbilisi, Georgia November 24, 2024. REUTERS/Irakli Gedenidze - RC2UBBAJWGIY

Georgian Parliament bars non-broadcast media access, amid other restrictions

New York, November 27, 2024 – The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Georgia’s Parliament to lift all restrictions on journalists’ entry into the parliament building, introduced on November 25 amid widespread protests against alleged fraud in the country’s October parliamentary elections. “At a crucial juncture in Georgia’s history, steps to restrict journalists’ access to Parliament are concerning and threaten to…

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Officers grab Sergi Baramidze, a camera operator for pro-opposition broadcaster Mtavari Arkhi, after he filmed police during a protest contesting the results of Georgia’s parliamentary election in Tbilisi on November 19, 2024. (Photo: Facebook/Mtavari Arkhi)

Georgian police obstruct, detain journalists covering election protests

New York, November 20, 2024—Local rights groups recorded at least four incidents of police assaulting or obstructing journalists covering a November 19 election protest in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi.  Georgian opposition parties have alleged fraud and are protesting the results of the October 26 parliamentary election, in which the ruling Georgian Dream party was declared…

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CPJ, partners’ report highlights ‘rapid’ deterioration of press freedom ahead of Georgia elections

The Committee to Protect Journalists on Friday, October 25, joined eight partner organizations of the Council of Europe’s Platform for the Protection of Journalism and Safety of Journalists and members of the Media Freedom Rapid Response consortium in issuing a report on the state of Georgia’s press freedom ahead of the country’s pivotal October 26 election. The report, which follows…

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‘Independent media could disappear’: Georgian journalists on the country’s high stakes elections

UPDATE: In the Georgia election held October 26, the ruling Georgian Dream party declared itself the winner, but the opposing coalition is disputing those results, claiming fraud. Georgia’s president, and European and U.S. officials, have called for an investigation. On October 26, Georgia heads into what is widely viewed as its most critical election since independence from the Soviet Union in…

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Mission to Georgia

CPJ, partners’ mission to Georgia finds ‘climate of fear’ ahead of elections

On October 1-2, the Committee to Protect Journalists joined eight partner organizations of the Council of Europe’s Platform for the Protection of Journalism and Safety of Journalists and members of the Media Freedom Rapid Response consortium on a fact-finding mission to Georgia, ahead of the country’s October 26 parliamentary elections. The mission met with civil…

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Georgian far right parties and their supporters hold a banner that reads, "No to LGBT darkness," in front of parliament during a rally against Pride Week in Tbilisi, Georgia, in 2022.

CPJ, partners condemn Georgian bill banning LGBTQ+ content

The Committee to Protect Journalists joined 22 other organizations advocating for press freedom on Monday in condemning Georgia’s Family Values Bill that would ban broadcasters from reporting on LGBTQ+ issues. The bill would fine broadcasters who air content that promotes LGBTQ+ gender identification and relationships. Georgian press freedom advocates say state authorities often use legislation…

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Tbilisi airport

Georgian authorities deny entry to Belarusian, Armenian journalists

New York, September 19, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Georgian authorities to allow Belarusian journalist Andrei Mialeshka and Armenian journalist Arsen Kharatyan, who were denied entry into Georgia in recent days, to enter the country and work safely. “By refusing Andrei Mialeshka and Arsen Kharatyan entry to Georgia on obscure grounds, the Georgian…

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Georgian parliament overrides presidential veto, adopts Russian-style ‘foreign agents’ law

Stockholm, May 28, 2024 — The Committee to Protect Journalists strongly decries the Georgian parliament’s Tuesday decision to overturn a veto by the country’s president and adopt a Russian-style “foreign agents” law that would target media outlets and press freedom groups. “The ruling Georgian Dream party’s decision to push through Kremlin-inspired ‘foreign agents’ legislation despite…

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Demonstrators protest a bill on "foreign agents" near the Georgian Parliament building in Tbilisi, Georgia, on May 13, 2024. (Photo: Reuters/Irakli Gedenidze)

Georgian parliament passes ‘foreign agent’ law despite widespread opposition

Stockholm, May 14, 2024 — The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply troubled that as thousands of protesters waited for the results amid a heavy police presence equipped with water cannons and riot gear, the Georgian parliament voted Tuesday to adopt the controversial Russian-style “foreign agents” law that would target foreign-funded media. Georgian President Salome…

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