Georgian Journalistic Ethics Charter calls on Interior Ministry to stop fining journalists for “blocking roads”

The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics has called on the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) to stop issuing fines to journalists for blocking roads while performing their professional duties amid protests against halted EU integration.

According to the Charter, the MIA has charged 14 journalists from various media outlets with violating road regulations while covering public protests. The organization argues that these fines infringe on press freedom and obstruct journalists from fulfilling their role in informing the public.

The Charter emphasizes that journalists are often required to report from the ground during protests and public demonstrations, where road obstructions can be unavoidable. It argues that penalizing media professionals for performing their duties creates a chilling effect on press freedom in the country.