Public Defender Standards Council calls for freedom of media in Georgia
Georgia, Tbilisi, June 12 / Trend N. Kirtskhalia /
Members of public expertise council, including figures of culture, journalists and experts protested pressure of the government on E-media in Free Thought House on June 11. The council calls for taking actions to ensure independence of media.
The statement said that the national regulating commission on communications must cease to manipulate licenses. Real owners of TV companies must be named. Imedi TV and Radio Company must be returned to legal owner. Te council calls for stopping interference of authority in editorial policy of Public Broadcaster, resigning of director general of Public Broadcaster Levan Kubaneishvili. According to public experts, Kubaneishvili is guide of national movement interests.
The council said that the second channel must be transformed into public-political channel that will provide population with information. Its ether will be given for public discussions and different political structures, the council said.
Members of the council call for the meeting with President Mikheil Saakashvili to familiarize him with their requirements.
The statement said that the nation interferes in activity of media after revolution of roses. Authors of the statement mentioned several concrete facts, including closing of TV companies Iberia, Channel 9, 202, Voice of Georgia, Europe - Objective. Broadcasting of Caucasia stopped twice. Russian channel were removed from a package of cable TV. Broadcasting of Euronews channel is limited. Authors' TV shows were closed. Founders were forcedly changed in TV companies Rustavi-2, Mze and First Glass.
The statement said that tough censorship was determined in Public Broadcaster.
Famous public figures, including poet Rezo Amashukeli, one of New Rights leaders Manana Nachkebia, actors Otar Megvinetukhutsesi and Guram Pirtskhalava, writer Chabua Amirejibi signed the statement.
Authors of the statement do not exclude protest actions in front of Public Broadcaster if nobody meets with them and their requirements are fulfilled even partially.
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