Relatives of those detained during protests have addressed the management of the Georgian Public Broadcaster with a series of demands, stating that they have been deprived of the opportunity to address the country’s citizens on the channel’s airwaves for more than a year and a half.
The parents and relatives of the detainees made the corresponding statement outside the Public Broadcaster’s building. According to them, issues related to the cases of “prisoners of conscience,” their legal status, and the activities of their families are of significant public interest and must receive full coverage.
“Throughout all this time, our voice has not been heard on the television channel, which is funded by the taxes of Georgian citizens and, therefore, belongs to the entire society, rather than any political force or authority. Under the law and its mandate, the Public Broadcaster is obliged to provide full, impartial, and objective coverage of events of public importance, ensure the representation of diverse viewpoints, and protect the public’s right to receive complete information.
The cases of prisoners of conscience, their legal status, the struggle of their families, and the broad public interest in these issues are undoubtedly matters of particular public importance. Ignoring this topic contradicts the principles on which the Public Broadcaster must be based.
Our first demand is to cover today’s briefing on the Public Broadcaster’s airwaves so that the public learns about our demands.
The second demand is to hold an official working meeting between us and the management of the Public Broadcaster in the near future.
Third demand – to provide the parents and relatives of prisoners of conscience and political prisoners with live airtime so that we can convey our position to the public. Given that court hearings are held behind closed doors, we want to independently inform citizens about our children, our family members, and their cases.
The fourth demand is an appeal to the Board of Trustees of the Public Broadcaster to hold a meeting and answer the following questions: why have the relatives of detainees never been granted live airtime? Why were our events not covered, despite the fact that we have traveled across almost the entirety of Georgia, met with citizens in person, and held over a hundred events, rallies, and other public activities? Why, despite numerous appeals in various forms, have we never been given airtime?
We are not asking for special treatment. We demand only what belongs to every citizen of Georgia: equal access to the Public Broadcaster, the opportunity to express our position, and the right to inform the public.
We expect a response to our demands today and will remain outside the Public Broadcaster’s building for the next 12 hours.
We call on everyone who supports us to express their position on whether we deserve the right to live airtime after a year and a half of continuous struggle.
We are convinced that a true Public Broadcaster is obliged to serve the public, protect public interests, and not ignore any important topic.
Today, we demand the fulfillment of this very duty,” the statement reads.
