The Communications Commission upheld the complaint of the ruling party Georgian Dream and fined Mtavari Arkhi 5000 GEL for refusing to broadcast its political advertisement. The TV company argues that the disputed video contains hate speech and violates the law.
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"The disputed clip, specifically the part in question, is illegal. The targeted individuals - civil society representatives - are not political entities or registered with the Central Election Commission (CEC), nor do they participate in the elections. According to the law, a pre-election advertisement is defined as an advertisement by a political entity, such as a party promoter or another political group," said Tamta Muradashvili, the lawyer for Mtavari Arkhi.
In one segment of the disputed clip, the inscription "No!" is displayed against the backdrop of "moral degeneration," featuring civil activists and representatives of non-governmental organizations, including former public defender Nino Lomjaria, director of Transparency International - Georgia’s Eka Gigauri, and civil activist Nata Feradze, all of whom have often been criticized by representatives of Georgian Dream.
Georgian Dream insists that the message in the clip targets these individuals, portraying them as "moral destroyers of society." Despite this, the Communications Commission ruled that the clip should be aired," Muradashvili noted.
The Communications Commission determined that the election clip does not incite hatred, violence, or call for violence. In a statement issued by the regulator, it was said that "the video clip produced by the electoral entity serves to present the pre-election vision of the political union. Therefore, the video clip does not violate current legislation, and the broadcaster was obligated to air it."
Mtavari Arkhi has appealed to the Tbilisi City Court against the administrative violation protocol issued by the Communications Commission. According to the TV company, neither Formula nor TV Pirveli aired the Georgian Dream clip.
