A march in support of independent media took place in Tbilisi – in photos and video
March in support of media in Tbilisi
A march in support of independent media was held in Tbilisi.
Georgia’s fifth president, Salome Zourabichvili, joined the demonstration, which took place under the slogan “The light must not be extinguished.”
“Media freedom is vital. Where there are no free media, there is no freedom, no democracy, no free society. Without information we are nothing and no one — and we all understand this. That understanding is especially clear today, as more and more people come out to defend the media,” Zourabichvili said.
Participants marched with lit flashlights from Republic Square to Rustaveli Avenue before joining a rally outside parliament.
Lia Chakhunashvili, executive director of the Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics, said the media environment in Georgia has sharply deteriorated, with journalists facing increasing verbal and physical attacks. She added that the situation is being worsened by financial difficulties [a reference to the “foreign agents” and “grants” laws — JAMnews].
“I know many journalists have been working for almost three months with little or no pay, and there are no signs that Georgian Dream will back down. We decided to appeal to the public for support so that online outlets can survive and continue their work, which they carry out with great dedication, sacrifice and commitment,” Chakhunashvili told Euronews Georgia.
Two weeks ago, 22 Georgian online outlets united under the slogan “The light must not be extinguished” to hold a march under the same name with their supporters on 21 August.
“After various legislative changes and amendments, blackmail, threats and bans on activity, many media outlets — especially regional ones — have been shut down. Now we are in a situation where the Georgian people’s struggle must end in victory.
The loudspeaker I’m holding now is not something I’m used to in my journalistic work. On the contrary, I prefer to stay behind the scenes, covering events and telling people the truth. But we had to come together and remind society that without light our struggle cannot succeed — and by light we mean information, which is an indispensable tool for people today,” journalist Zura Vardiashvili said.
