The Tbilisi City Court sentenced Keta Tsitskishvili, a journalist for the opposition television channel Formula TV, to five days of administrative arrest. She is accused of blocking a road during a protest on Rustaveli Avenue.
A Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs representative insisted on the harshest possible sentence, noting that a verbal warning should not be enough. She also added that the court could legally arrest Tsitskishvili despite her having a 12-year-old child. In response to this argument, the defendant stated that she had not intended to mention her child, but since it was mentioned, she emphasized that she was standing there for her daughter.
"I don't know if you have a child, but I'm standing there for your child," the journalist told the agency representative.
As a reminder, another Formula TV journalist, Vakho Sanaia, was arrested on similar charges. On October 19, a court sentenced him to six days of administrative arrest.
Following the arrest of its second employee, the television company issued a statement emphasizing that it "views the increasing persecution of journalists as an attack on independent media, aimed at suppressing critical opinion."
"We demand the release of Keta Tsitskishvili and call on our international friends to provide effective support so that the regime pays a corresponding political price for persecuting critical media. Despite the difficult working conditions, Formula TV continues to defend freedom of speech," the channel's editorial staff stated.
As a reminder, according to recent legislative amendments, arrests of up to 15 days will be imposed for wearing a mask at a rally, possessing tear gas (spray, etc.), and blocking a road. A prison sentence of up to 60 days may be imposed if a demonstrator is found in possession of a firearm, flammable substances, bladed weapons, or pyrotechnics, or if the police decide to disperse the gathering and the protesters fail to comply. Repeated offenses of these offenses will result in imprisonment for up to one year, and a third or subsequent similar offense will result in imprisonment for up to two years.
