Since 19 October, media union Obiektivi daily airs the footage of torture discovered in Samegrelo. Clearly, denouncing violence and crime is a public interest, but the media can fulfill this function without manipulating with the feelings of the audience and showing footage degrading to the human dignity constantly and in style of a campaign. Such actions create direct threat of incitement of hatred in the society and provoking violence, which has been witnessed by the public in the recent days, and which can help provoking civil conflict.

Article 56 of the broadcasting law establishes limits, according to Paragraph 2 of which "Broadcasting license holders shall avoid broadcasting programs containing material to incite ethnic or religious hatred and which are of a discriminatory nature to any group". According to Paragraph 4 of the same article, "television programs or advertisement including pornography, as well as obscenity and infringing a citizen’s dignity and his/her basic rights, are prohibited".

The anchor of Obiektivi also makes statements during live broadcast which justify violence and call for direct physical assaults against the members of United National Movement[1].

We believe that such incitement of violence, which has a scale of a campaign and goes beyond the task of informing the public about the existing issues, is dangerous for the society and constitutes violation of law.We call on you to respond to this issue.

Media Development Foundation, MDF

Georgian Democracy Initiative, GDI

Baltic to Black Sea Alliance

Sapari

Article 42 of the Constitution

Tolerance and Diversity Institute, TDI

Georgia's Reforms Associates, GRASS

Identoba

Media Club

IncGeo

Georgian Institute for Strategic Studies, GISS

Research Journalism and Advocacy Center

Voice from Georgia