The Charter calls on the MIA to ensure the safety of journalists covering the rally

Category : Statements;
According to media reports, homophobic rally activists are preventing and threatening the journalists who are covering the events taking place at the Chancellery. The incidents occurred against journalists of Netgazeti, Liberali, Radio Tavisufleba, Adjara TV, TV Pirveli and Rustavi 2.

According to “Netgazeti”, a participant of the homophobic rally snatched the mobile phone of the "Netgazeti" reporter, Giorgi Diasamidze, and threw it to the ground. As Giorgi Diasamidze said, the process was observed by the police but they did not react in any way. “Do you want me to smash this phone onto your head?" ... "I have memorized your face" –these words were used by members of the counter rally arranged near the Chancellery to threaten Lika Zakashvili, the Editor of Liberali, and another journalist of the same publication.  According to the edition, the police arrested that participant of the rally after the incident. "How stupid you are!" – in this way the businessman Levan Vasadze addressed the Nino Khozrevanidze, the journalist of Adjara TV, when the reporter asked him why they had showed up at the rally as their appearance caused the confrontation.

The counter rally participants verbally insulted radio Tavisufleba journalist Tornike Mandaria as well and instead of protecting him, law enforcers advised him to leave the territory. "You see, everything irritates them [the rally participants]." One of the participants of the homophobic rally physically assaulted the journalist of the TV Company "Pirveli" while he/she was providing the coverage of the rally. Moreover, the participants of the counter rally verbally abused "Rustavi 2" camera crew.

The rallies of the Tbilisi Pride organizers and citizens nearby the Government Chancellery was planned after the Patriarchate disseminated a letter that urged the authorities not to allow the events planned within the Tbilisi pride to be held. Before the rally participants appeared, ultra-right forces had occupied the territory adjacent to the Chancellery. So far, since the start of the rally, journalists have been working in difficult conditions.

The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics addresses the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia to protect the safety of journalists and ensure that media representatives could perform their professional duty without any interference. In addition, the Charter demands a legal response to the facts of unlawful interference within the professional activities of journalists.