Goga Gulordava: “Restricting the Media is Permissible Only Under a High Standard of Evidence, which was not Observed in Relation to Georgian Channels”

“Restricting the freedom of media is permissible only under a high standard of evidence, with exceptional justification and through a special legal procedure. Any such action, regardless of who takes it, must be supported exclusively by clear and irrefutable evidence. Such a decision against two broadcasters, one of whom is among the most popular in the country, cannot be viewed in a positive context. On the contrary, it poses a serious risk to fair competition among TV broadcasters, to the ability of journalists to carry out their professional activities, and to media pluralism in general,” commented the Chairman of the Communications Commission, Goga Gulordava, during an interview on Imedi TV in response to a question about the decision taken by the United Kingdom against two Georgian broadcasters.

According to the Chairman, many questions remain, and they require transparent answers. He also noted that no complaint or claim had been submitted to the Commission regarding the issues underlying those decisions, and therefore the high evidentiary standard was not observed with respect to the two Georgian channels.