NGOs and Journalists Request Annulment of CEC Resolution on Restricting Activities of Media in Polling Stations

Lado Bichashvili, Shida Kartli

                                                                                   

Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association requests annulment of the Central Election Commission’s resolution, which restricts journalists to perform professional activities in polling stations on the Election Day. GYLA’s representatives spoke about this problem during the meeting about pre-election environment in Gori.

Journalist Nino Bolashvili of the TV-Company Trialeti said that on the Parliamentary Election Day on October 1, 2012 they could enter the polling station only for three minutes to prepare video-footage.

“There were cases when we were not allowed into the polling stations because the commission chairman told us our representatives had already been in the precinct and we could not enter there. We asked them to show the document where our colleagues were registered, but they could not show though did not allow me to enter anyway,” Bolashvili said.

Journalist Goga Aptsiauri of Radio Liberty said that CEC’s resolution restricts professional activities of journalists and requested its annulment. 

“During the parliamentary elections in October of 2012, journalists were astonished because of this resolution - cameramen could not work inside the polling station; if you once left the precinct, the commission members did not let you in for the second time. So, it was serious restriction for our professional activities. We request to annul this resolution and to allow journalists work in precincts only based on accreditations. It will cancel all our questions about impartiality of the elections,” Aptsiauri said.

Chairwoman of GYLA’s Gori office Ketevan Bebiashvili said that a lot of facts of restricting journalists’ professional activities were observed on October 1, 2012. Media representatives were not freely allowed into precincts either.

It is still unclear whether the CEC will envisage the appeal of NGOs and journalists and whether there will be a political will to make the process in polling stations transparent and allow journalists to freely cover the polling process. Supposedly, the question will be raised after new chairman of the CEC is elected.

GYLA is ready to consider proposals of the CEC and agree on simple forms of regulations in order not to hinder professional activities of journalists in polling stations.