Police Assault Journalists During Protest Crackdown in Tbilisi

November 29, 2024 – Georgia –

Georgian police violently cracked down on journalists covering anti-government protests in Tbilisi, prompting alarm from media watchdogs and human rights groups. The protests, centered around opposition to the ruling Georgian Dream party’s political direction and stalled EU integration efforts, saw dozens of journalists physically assaulted, detained, or obstructed while reporting on the ground.

According to Civil.ge, numerous journalists were attacked despite wearing visible press identification. Footage from the scene shows riot police using batons, pepper spray, and water cannons indiscriminately, with reporters from Formula TV, TV Pirveli, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and OC Media among those targeted. One of the most severe incidents involved Guram Rogava of Formula TV, who was struck on the head by masked officers and hospitalized with skull and cervical injuries. Another journalist, Alexander Keshelashvili from Publika, was reportedly beaten, detained, and had his press equipment confiscated.

The Public Defender (Ombudsman) of Georgia condemned the attacks, urging the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Special Investigation Service to launch immediate criminal investigations under Articles 154 and 156 of the Criminal Code, which prohibit unlawful interference with journalistic work and persecution based on professional activity. Civil society organizations have joined the call, warning that impunity for such violence would signal a broader collapse of democratic safeguards.

This is not an isolated event. In 2021, journalist Aleksandre Lashkarava died after being brutally beaten while covering a far-right riot during Tbilisi Pride. That incident, widely blamed on a lack of police protection, remains a painful reminder of Georgia’s deteriorating press freedom environment.

The November 2024 crackdown raises serious concerns about the Georgian government’s commitment to democratic norms and freedom of the press. With elections approaching and public discontent growing, media workers appear increasingly vulnerable to targeted violence. Unless the perpetrators of these assaults are held accountable, press freedom in Georgia may face irreversible damage.

The international community and domestic institutions now face a critical test: whether to defend the rights of journalists or allow a culture of impunity to take deeper root in Georgia’s political landscape.

Reference – 

https://civil.ge/archives/639163