650 days of protests, Papuashvili’s ban, UN statement: What is the Georgian media covering?

A review of the information agenda of Georgian media outlets (“Civil.ge”, “JAMnews”, “Frontnews”, “On.ge”, “Radio Tavisupleba”, “Rustavi 2” and others) over the past week shows that the dominant topic has undoubtedly been domestic political tensions and protests that have continued unabated for more than 650 days.

Independent and opposition media outlets have particularly focused on rallies by supporters of European integration in Tbilisi and Batumi, demands for the release of political prisoners, the repeal of repressive laws and the restoration of the Euro-Atlantic course. Tensions between the government and opposition have reached a peak.

Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili’s statements regarding the banning of opposition parties, appeals to the Constitutional Court, letters written from prison by former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, and reactions from the Georgian Dream party are among the main topics of discussion.

In terms of freedom of expression, the arrest of blogger Tornike Razmadze on charges of insulting Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze over a comment he made on social media, as well as decisions by the media regulator, have caused significant public reaction.

Relations with Russia and the situation in the occupied territories also remain at the center of media attention. Reports that the Georgian Orthodox Church expressed deep concern while denying allegations that it supported a Russian armed-forces unit named after “Father Gabriel Urgebadze” have received extensive coverage. At the same time, planned large-scale military exercises in occupied Abkhazia, former Prosecutor General Otar Partskhaladze’s service on the Russian side, and the impact of the war in Ukraine on the region are being closely monitored.

In the context of human rights and international reactions, a joint statement by 34 countries at the UN Human Rights Council concerning democratic backsliding in Georgia became the week’s main foreign-policy story. Calls by the international community for Tbilisi to release political prisoners and repeal repressive legislation, criticism from the European Union, and reports by the Ombudsman’s Office have drawn particular attention from independent media.

Domestic society, the economy and the international agenda have received comparatively less attention. Alongside domestic news such as the killing of minors in Tbilisi, drug-related operations, and marriage and divorce statistics, media outlets have also covered Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s visit to Paris for the Space Summit and economic indicators. At the global level, topics such as the US-Iran confrontation and the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks have also been covered.

Overall, the monitoring shows that Georgia’s information space has become sharply polarized: while independent media focus on “democratic backsliding” and the protests, pro-government sources seek to draw attention to the government’s activities and the narrative of stability in the country.

Giymat Mahir