Seventeen journalists in Georgia have been fined 5,000 GEL ($1,850) each for allegedly “blocking the road” while covering ongoing pro-European protests in the country. The total fines amount to 85,000 GEL ($31,500), raising concerns over press freedom and the treatment of media representatives by authorities.
The data, published by the Center for Media, Information and Social Research on Friday highlights a growing trend of penalizing journalists during demonstrations.
According to the study, fining journalists under such pretexts had become an emerging pattern. “Recently, it has become a trend to fine media representatives for blocking the road while covering protests,” the report said.
Among those fined were journalists from various outlets, including Radio Liberty, OC Media, Radio Tbilisi, Formula, TV Pirveli, Mtavari Arkhi Channel, Studio Monitor, Public, Tabula and Euronews.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs has since canceled some of the fines, while others have been upheld by a judge who deemed them administrative violations. In several cases, the decision on penalties has been postponed, leaving journalists uncertain about their legal standing.
The Georgian Dream authorities in late last year announced it halted EU integration until 2028, which caused large scale protests.
