RSF: Shocking Impunity for Violence Against Reporters in Georgia
The Paris-based press freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders said that the level of impunity for perpetrators of violence against journalists in Georgia during the recent protests is “shocking.” Noting that more than 70 reporters have been attacked, some of them repeatedly, the watchdog condemned the police’s systematic, organized violence and urged the European Union “to act against the impunity of Georgia’s law enforcement, which threatens the country’s democracy.”
The statement says that “law enforcement has resorted to brutal repression, including the use of tear gas, pepper spray, and water cannons mixed with chemicals.” It further notes that several journalists have suffered chemical burns and severe injuries, “some requiring weeks of recovery before they can return to work on the ground.”
The RSF also recalls specific cases of the attacks on journalists, and notes that although the Special Investigation Service, a which was created to investigate the human rights crimes committed by the state officials, announced investigations into violence against journalists, “its chronic ineffectiveness offers little hope for accountability.”
The statement also highlights recent repressive legislative amendments that tighten restrictions on peaceful protests, such as banning the wearing of masks, essential for journalists exposed to chemical agents, and significantly increasing fines for minor damage or traffic disruption, which could be used to target reporters covering protests. Another amendment has further increased police powers by extending the list of grounds justifying administrative arrest, personal searches and the search and confiscation of belongings.
The organization says: “These events reflect a broader decline in Georgian democracy, particularly when it comes to press freedom, as highlighted in an alarming report by RSF and nine partner organisations published on the eve of the legislative elections.” RSF also recalls the Foreign Agents’ law adoption in August this year, accompanied by the hate campaign against journalists, noting that it threatens the existence of media outlets financed by international funds.
Also Read:
- 13/12/2024 – IPI Condemns Violent Attacks on Journalists in Georgia
- 10/12/2024 – President Urges International Action Amidst State-Sponsored Violence, Honors Journalists
- 09/12/2024 – EU Ambassador Condemns Violence Against Demonstrators, Journalists
- 29/11/2024 – Watchdog: Police Target Journalists, Many Injured