Report: Journalists in Georgia Faced 434 Incidents of Abuse in Past Year
Over the past year, 434 incidents have been documented against journalists, media outlets, and media-focused civil society organizations, according to the Center for Media, Information and Social Research (CMIS), a local watchdog group that describes Georgia’s media environment as in “critical state.”
The group said the incidents – in some cases involving multiple types of violations at once – included “physical violence, unlawful detention and arrest, interrogations, filming bans, denial of access to administrative buildings, illegitimate fines, verbal abuse, threats, and other forms of mistreatment.” The report noted that no offenders have been held accountable.
“Since November 28, a total of 181 media representatives have been affected while covering the demonstrations alone,” the group’s October 1 report said. On November 28, 2024, Georgian Dream halted the country’s EU accession process, triggering the still-ongoing protests.
The report documented 122 cases of physical violence against journalists – 82 assaults and 40 other instances of harm, including the use of chemical agents during protests. It also recorded 104 cases of unlawful interference in journalistic activity and 102 legal cases, including fines for road blockages, court summonses, illegal detentions, restrictive legislation, SLAPP lawsuits, interrogations, and verbal warnings.
In addition, 108 cases of verbal abuse were documented – 65 insults, 22 cases of intimidation, and 21 instances of discrediting. The report also cited 29 cases of damage to journalists’ property. It also documented 22 violations of labor rights, including dismissals, disciplinary sanctions, and restrictions on labor rights, all of them in the Public Broadcaster.
The report also highlighted the case of Mzia Amaghlobeli as a “politically motivated” conviction. Amaghlobeli, founder of the Batumelebi and Netgazeti media outlets, was detained in January after slapping Batumi police chief Irakli Dgebuadze during a tense protest, and in August she was sentenced to two years in prison.
Also Read:
- Repression in Numbers
- 01/07/2025 – Journalists Face Coverage Hurdles as Court Recording Ban Takes Effect
- 02/05/2025 – Georgia Falls 11 Places to 114th in RSF Press Freedom Index
- 05/03/2025 – Europe Press Freedom Report: Rapid Decline of Press Freedom in 2024 in Georgia
- 30/10/2024 – Media Ombudsman: Election Day Was Marked by Violence, Intimidation Against Journalists