Journalistic Ethics Charter Condemns Arrest and Sentence of Vakho Sanaia

The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics condemns the arrest of Vakho Sanaia, host of Formula TV company, and considers the sentence handed down to him unjust.

On October 19, Judge Tornike Kochkiani sentenced Vakho Sanaia, host of Formula's news broadcast and journalist, to 30 days in pretrial detention. The reason was two status updates and one video published on his personal Facebook page. Sanaia had been charged with insulting Shalva Papuashvili and Lado Bozhadze.

In the Charter's statement we read: "Repressive amendments introduced into legislation allow Georgian Dream to act with disproportionate force against critically minded citizens, including journalists."

The organization considers Sanaia's case a manifestation of the instrumentalization of legislation and justice for punitive purposes, which is aimed at suppressing the critical voice of citizens and journalists and restricting the activities of critical media.

According to the Charter's assessment, "Georgian Dream" renounced its obligation of tolerance through legislative changes and their enforcement practice. Today's decision once again clearly demonstrated the depth of democratic backsliding in Georgia.

The Charter expresses solidarity with Vakho Sanaia and with all journalists and citizens whose freedom of expression "Georgian Dream" has restricted through legal or coercive instruments.

According to the Charter, with this decision Sanaia's freedom of expression as a citizen has been restricted for the third time. On July 22, for a similar "offense", Judge Zviad Tsekvava sentenced him to 14 days of administrative detention, and on July 10, Judge Tornike Kochkiani imposed a fine of 6,000 lari.