Founders of the “Solidarity for Media Freedom” Signed Memorandum

Founders of the Media-union “Solidarity for Media Freedom” signed memorandum. 14 media organizations signed the interim document in the studio of the media-union “Obiektivi” today.

Head of the Georgian Press Association and editor-in-chief of the newspaper Resonance Lasha Tugushi told Interpresnews that organizations, who wish to join the memorandum, are invited to sign it before February 1. Afterwards, they will have opportunity to join the memorandum only based on the content of all member media-organizations.

The Media-Union “Solidarity for Media Freedom” published the memorandum on January 9.

“We, the undersigned media-organizations – “Asaval-Dasavali,” “Alia Holding”, TV-Company “Maestro”, “Media Palitra,” “Versia”, Pressage.tv, Obiektivi, Resonance, Sakartvelos Khma, state that since 2003 the government of Georgia has been purposefully restricting activities of independent media-sources (TV-radio and online broadcasting, newspapers, magazines, news portals) and has been using methods of financial, psychological, moral and political oppression in order to obtain control on free mass media. With this regard, we have agreed to establish a non-governmental organization within one week-time after the memorandum is signed; all independent media-organization will be free to join the NGO together with their owners, publishers, editors and journalists. The undersigned media-organizations have one main purpose – to protect the media-organizations unified in the NGO from illegal activities of the government and if any of member organizations is subjected to the government’s illegal activities, oppression, intimidation, all of us share responsibility and will be ready to act in cooperation both on domestic and international levels.

We have agreed that intimidation of any member-organization will be perceived as intimidation of all other member organizations.

The Union will protect only the member-organizations based on solidarity principle.

The Media-Union will make decision on the protection of non-member media organizations individually.

Our memorandum is open for every Georgia based independent media organization who share the principle of joint activities in case of threat that means to work out common tactic and strategy to protect the media organizations-in-danger, to promote information campaign, to organize peaceful manifestations, assemblies, charity and other events, to communicate international organizations and embassies, to prepare action plan and to implement activities abroad in the EU institutions, international human rights and journalistic organizations whose offices are located in Brussels, Strasbourg, Paris and Geneva; the Memorandum will be signed on February 1, 2012 at 1:00 pm in the hall of the Media Union “Obiektivi.”

Any organization can join the Media-Union based on the content of all founder media organizations. If any newspaper, magazine, TV and Radio Channel, online website wishes to join the Media Union after February 1, 2012, the Union member organizations will discuss their application and make decision based on joint agreement. Additionally, member organizations will have right to use veto principle. If any member organization is against accepting any applicant media organization, the Media Union will not accept it. As for expelling the member organization from the Union, the decision will be made according to the Union Statute – by majority of votes. After joining the memorandum, concrete media sources will establish an NGO, which will prepare the statute, staff the administrative structure and will launch activities,” the memorandum states.

IPN