Ethic Charter Council Concluded that Journalist of Newspaper Prime Time Breached Principles 1 and 7 of the Charter

Council of Georgian Journalistic Ethic Charter discussed appeal of journalist Tea Topuria against Mirian Bokolishvili, journalist of the newspaper Prime Time. According to the decision of the Ethic Charter, Mirian Bokolishvili breached the Principles 1 and 7 of the Charter.

The issue is about the article published in the newspaper Prime Time “Anchor Maia Asatiani Threatened with Death after Her Scandalous TV-Show”.

“The article is about the story of children’s labor trafficking in Dusheti district told in the TV-Program “Profile”. According to the story, the mother left her children with relatives where they spent many years. Children blamed the family in compelling them to work as slaves. The Prime Time responded to the issue and prepared an article where the mother was interviewed together with one of her children. They alleged that besides the slavery work, the girl was victim of sexual violence as a result of what she had a baby though did not mention his whereabouts. Her second sister was taken to a shelter for trafficking victims. The names of respondents are mentioned in the article,” said Tea Topuria.

The Ethic Council concluded that the journalist disrespected the right of the society to get correct information. In addition, he did not try to avoid discrimination of residents of Khevsureti region by mentioning them in negative context.

The Ethic Council will publish the motivation part of their judgment in several days.

ICK