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Report on attacks on media contributors in Armenia, Georgia and Moldova 2017-2019 released

03 May 2020


London, 3 May 2020 - Today, on World Press Freedom Day, the Justice for Journalists Foundation has published the second part of its report on attacks on media contributors in the post-Soviet space in 2017-19. This part of the study is dedicated to Armenia, Georgia and Moldova and analyses 694 attacks on professional journalists, citizen journalists, bloggers and other media workers recorded in these countries.

 

It is important to note that no cases of murder of media workers were recorded in the three countries during this period. While in Armenia the most common method of resolving conflicts with journalists are court cases, in Georgia physical attacks predominate, and in Moldova - non-physical and/or cyberspace attacks. The number of court cases against media contributors in these two countries is relatively low.

 

"In a situation of active political confrontation, when conflicts between different social forces are resolved in the streets, media contributors are physically attacked by police and other government structures. In a more stable environment, such methods of pressure as harassment, surveillance, illegal hindering of journalists' work, including through economic and legal mechanisms, come to the fore again", added Ordzhonikidze.

 

The Justice for Journalists Foundation, together with its partners and experts, carries out weekly monitoring of attacks against media contributors in 12 post-Soviet countries (excluding the Baltic States), the results of which are reflected in the Media Risk Map in Russian and English. The data is updated and available from 2017 to date.
The Justice for Journalists Foundation and the international non-profit Index of Censorship jointly monitor attacks and media rights violations related to the coronavirus pandemic. The data is available on the Index website and the Media Risk Map.

 

 

"For a better understanding of the processes that the post-Soviet states are going through, the dynamics of the media freedom situation in the countries whose peoples have chosen a democratic development path should be monitored. Analysis of attacks on media workers in Armenia, Georgia and Moldova shows a direct correlation between the development of public institutions and the safety of journalists," said Maria Ordzhonikidze, director of the Justice for Journalists Foundation.

 

The analysis methodology developed by the Foundation includes three main types of attacks against media workers (which are further divided into subcategories):

Physical attacks and threats to life, liberty and health.

Non-physical and/or cyberspace attacks and threats.

Attacks using legal and/or economic mechanisms.

 

In all three countries, the number and nature of attacks against media workers are correlated with political crises. Thus, in Armenia in 2019, which was a politically calm year, only 6 physical attacks against journalists were committed, compared to 57 cases in the previous two years. In Georgia in 2019, on the eve of the 2020 parliamentary elections and amid increased political activity, the number of physical attacks on media contributors increased 13-fold. In June 2019 in Moldova, 16 media contributors covering political events and protests in the capital were attacked during political clashes in the country.

 

After the political situation in Armenia stabilized, attacks against media contributors moved from the streets to the courts - the number of court cases against journalists and media outlets increased fourfold. Almost all of the lawsuits concerned insults and slander in the media, and 70% of these cases came not from government officials but from citizens representing various social groups.

 

In Georgia, all 48 cases of attacks against the media using legal and/or economic mechanisms over three years have come from government officials. Their aim was often to change the ownership, management and editorial policies of opposition TV channels.

 

In Moldova, the vast majority of attacks against media contributors took place outside the legal framework, and the most common methods were illegal prevention of journalistic activities; phone tapping, surveillance and illegal surveillance; harassment, intimidation, pressure, threats of violence and death, including in cyberspace.

 

"In a situation of active political confrontation, when conflicts between different social forces are resolved in the streets, media contributors are physically attacked by police and other government structures. In a more stable environment, such methods of pressure as harassment, surveillance, illegal hindering of journalists' work, including through economic and legal mechanisms, come to the fore again", added Ordzhonikidze.

 

The Justice for Journalists Foundation, together with its partners and experts, carries out weekly monitoring of attacks against media contributors in 12 post-Soviet countries (excluding the Baltic States), the results of which are reflected in the Media Risk Map in Russian and English. The data is updated and available from 2017 to date.
The Justice for Journalists Foundation and the international non-profit Index of Censorship jointly monitor attacks and media rights violations related to the coronavirus pandemic. The data is available on the Index website and the Media Risk Map.