The court ruling in the case of journalist Vakho Sanaia is yet another clear example of unjustified restrictions on freedom of expression, censorship, and the creation of an atmosphere of self-censorship in the public space, according to the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA).
The NGO believes that the judicial decision directly contradicts constitutional and European standards of human rights protection.
“The deprivation of liberty of Vakho Sanaia, a prominent journalist and employee of the Formula TV channel, for exercising his fundamental right to freedom of expression takes place against the backdrop of restrictive and repressive policies against the media, as well as repressive measures targeted directly at Formula TV. This concerns, in particular, a civil lawsuit and court ruling bearing the hallmarks of a SLAPP suit (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation), alongside a parallel criminal investigation into a report produced by the channel.
Today’s court decision is yet another obvious example of the unlawful restriction of citizens’ freedom of expression, as well as the creation of an atmosphere of censorship and self-censorship. It unequivocally contradicts both the Constitution of Georgia and European human rights standards, which, in our view, representatives of the ‘Georgian Dream’ party and the Ministry of Internal Affairs are intentionally distorting and misinterpreting.
It is evident that massive and systemic control over freedom of expression is being exerted through mechanisms and legislation that allow for the arbitrary application of sanctions. In their severity, these measures can be comparable to criminal liability, creating institutional mechanisms of systemic censorship while ignoring guarantees that protect freedom of speech,” the statement reads.
As a reminder, the Tbilisi City Court sentenced journalist Vakho Sanaia to 14 days of administrative detention for a social media post concerning Speaker of Parliament Shalva Papuashvili and MP Vladimir Bozhadze. The journalist was detained near his home.