The Georgian Young Lawyers Association prepared a quarterly review, which reports that on March 10, 2023, the Tbilisi City Court found a TikTok social network users guilty of an administrative offense in connection with the content of the video and fined him 2,000 lari [about $765].
According to the Young Lawyers Association, this decision can be considered a dangerous precedent, contrary to existing standards of freedom of speech and expression.
The association points out that the person, recognized by the court as an offender, works as a courier and moves around the city n a moped. He posted a video on TikTok with a warning caption: “If you don’t want to hear swearing, don’t watch or listen.” In this video, he sharply criticizes the transport policy of Tbilisi and motorists who abuse their official position. Namely, those who allow themselves to go to the lane allocated for public transport. The courier also scolds the police officers who turn a blind eye to the violations committed by employees of government agencies and persons close to them.
The association’s report states that, according to the court’s interpretation, TikTok is considered a public space and any person who posts information on this platform is obliged to follow the accepted standards of ethics and morality in society. According to the court, the content of the published video went beyond the scope of freedom of speech and expression.
“The court draws attention to the fact that this video contains verbal insults against law enforcement officers in connection with the exercise of their official powers. This video was viewed on a social network by a specific police officer and perceived by him as an insult, which led to the corresponding result – the drawing up of an offense report,” the document says.
