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Certain Media Outlets Covered Convicts’ Torture Facts by Manipulative Methods – Journalistic Ethic Charter

September 19, 2012

Georgian Journalistic Ethic Charter responded to the coverage of torture facts of the prisoners by media.  In the statement Charter expresses concern “with the manipulative methods that Rustavi 2, Imedi and Real TV covered the facts taken place in prisons.”

“The aforementioned TV-Companies completely unjustifiably, without double checking and by violating ethical standards circulated information that Tamaz Tamazashvili was the “customer” of torture of convicts.  Journalists of these TV-Companies have not asked any critical question to representatives of the government,” the Charter statement reads.  The Charter also stressed that “action by the Public Broadcaster First Channel cannot stand any criticism:

“The given broadcaster did not cover the events taken place in the correction establishments at all. Such ignoring of facts does not aim to provide wider society with information.”

The Charter calls on its member and non-member journalists to maximally act according to ethic standards when covering events taken place in the correction system and despite the fact that there is high public interest the Journalistic Ethic Charter believes that all TV-Companies must protect personal lives of all individuals in the videos and not to identify them.

18 September (at approximately 7 p.m.) Maestro TV aired video of severe beating of convicts in Gldani Prison #8, which later resulted in the dismissal head of the Penitentiary Department David Chakua.

Later in the evening the video filmed in May 2011, aired by the 9th Channel caused great excitement in social networks.  The video showed raping of convicts.  Citizens called on each other to start protect actions and demanded resignation of the Minister of Corrections and Legal Aid Khatuna Kalmakhelidze.  The same evening Public Defender called on the Chief Prosecutor’s Office to launch proceedings against the persons participating in beating of convicts.

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