Media Council to Appeal to Prosecutor General

Media Council set up in December 2009 is going to appeal to the Prosecutor General of Georgia in regard to the recent frequently recurring attacks against journalists.

The decision was reached in the course of the March 4 sitting.

According to Maia Metskhvarishvili of Media Council they have already elaborated the txt for the appeal to the Prosecutor's Office. The Council is to request the Prosecutor's Office to conduct investigation into the recent attacks against journalists, and introduce the report on the current circumstances of the cases.

"We have separately marked out the attacks carried out against the journalists' charter members such as Saba Tsitsikashvili, Gela Mtivlishvili and Vakhtang Komakhidze," said Maia Metskhvarishvili, Editor-in-chief, Kutaisi-based newspaper Akhali Gazeti.

In addition, according to her, the talks are being on with the head of the Public Relations service of the Prosecutor's Office in order to arrange the meeting with the Murtaz Zodelava, Prosecutor General of Georgia.

According to Eter Turadze, Chairperson of the Council of the Charter and Editor-in-chief of the Batumelebi newspaper in the course of the March 4 sitting other issues were discussed as well, in particular the form of complaints, launched on the blog of the Council (http://mediasabcho.blogspot.com/), was worked out.

"In addition we discussed the ways to promote Media Council through TVs. We are going to appeal to the GPB First Channel to obtain PSA Status for our commercials so that to raise public awareness of the activities of the council," said Eter Turadze. Moreover, Turadze added, the membership fee, most likely a symbolic GEL 1 was discussed too.

According to Maia Metskhvarishvili the Charter was joined by 16 new members, essentially the journalists working for the Liberal magazine and the Monitor Studio including Beso Kurtanidze of the Monitor Studio as well as media representatives from Kakheti and Adjara regions.

In addition, Eter Turadze said, the issue related to simplifying the appealing procedure was discussed too. From now on the complainant shall not submit the copy of the disputed report or publication to Media Council.

"It is hard for the complainant to obtain a TV or radio report, would be good if provided, but unless otherwise the Council will make a request and obtain one," Maia Metskhvarishvili said.