News

2022.02.08

As per the decision of the Charter of Journalistic Ethics, it was found that the information disseminated by Imedi TV Channel that allegedly the United National Movement was behind the judges protest was inaccurate and deliberately distorted.

As per the decision of the Charter of Journalistic Ethics, it was found that the information disseminated by Imedi TV Channel that allegedly the United National Movement was behind the judges' protest was inaccurate and deliberately distorted.

It was established that Imedi TV had manipulated the facts in order to provide a specific, pre-established version to the public and had deliberately distorted the content of statements made by EU and US ambassadors on the same matter. The TV report was intended to mislead the audience as if the problem in the judiciary was caused not by clan rule but by the presence of influential judges who support the opposition.

The TV story is dedicated to the election of two members for the High Council of Justice by the Conference of Judges of Georgia on October 31, 2021, which was severely criticized by the EU Ambassador Carl Hartzel and the US Embassy in Georgia. An influential group of judges disagreed with the ambassadors' criticism and issued a statement on behalf of the Administrative Committee of the Conference of Judges. The statement of the Administrative Committee was dissented by23 judges. These 23 judges became the object of campaign criticism by Imedi TV, which was ultimately aimed at misleading the audience as if the judges with different opinions were driven by the National Movement.

The decision regarding the complaint of Democracy Index - Georgia and the members of the Group of IndependentLawyers was made by the Charter of Journalistic Ethics on February 8, 2022.

You can see the decision here.