The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) are responding to the recent turmoil overtaking the Adjara Public Broadcasting service, including the dismissal, just a few hours ago, of Shorena Ghlonti from her position as Head of the Information Department, and considers that the broadcasting service's editorial independence faces an alarming threat, and immediate measures should be taken.

EMC has held intensive workshops with the editors and journalists of the broadcasting service over the past few days, and believes that the situation at the service is highly challenging. In recent years, the Adjara Public Broadcasting service has promoted trust in the notion of public broadcasting, and has become a unique body, giving public space to socially vulnerable groups and spreading progressive ideas, free from political and commercial influences. However, the arrival of a new management at the broadcasting service, which was preceded by the arbitrary and politically motivated impeachment of the former director, Natia Kapanadze, was followed by disturbing decisions made within the system.

The new director, Giorgi Kokhreidze applied limitations using different procedures and reasons to the role of the staff of the Information Department, who played an important role in various procedures for maintaining the editorial independence of the service. On February 2nd, 2020, shortly after the reduction of her contractual obligations and following instances of workplace harassment, the Deputy Director Natia Zoidze left the broadcasting service. Following the alterations made to the staff list, in violation of the procedures and public administration guidelines, on February 19th, 2020, Maia Merkviladze was transferred from the position of Deputy Chief of the Information Department, with responsibility for news editorial, to the Radio Broadcasting Service. Shorena Glonti, the head of the News Service, was released on February 28th, 2020, after an arbitrary and groundless disciplinary persecution. In fact, the new director dismissed all those key figures responsible for editorial policy and put the editorial independence of the broadcasting service at risk.

During our meeting with the Adjara Public Broadcasting staff, they stated that those who publicly criticize the new director's decisions are being subject to harassment. Information about them is being collected, which creates a hostile working environment for journalists, and it is reasonable to suspect that journalists and TV presenters who openly fight for editorial independence during this time may also become victims of harassment, changes of positions and illegal dismissal.

The events of February 19th, 2020, were particularly symptomatic of this situation, when the Adjara Public Broadcasting Board altered the staff list in the context of the active mobilisation of groups opposed to the broadcasting service, thus preventing journalists from expressing their positions. The board room was already occupied in the morning by groups favouring Georgian Dream, and which are highly critical of the broadcasting service's progressive ideas. According to some journalists, the employees of the State Security Service were also present at the meeting.

EMC believes that dismissing those responsible for editorial independence, their illegal transfer from important positions of the news service and forcing them to quit their jobs is nothing but a blatant management intervention in the broadcasting service's editorial policy and undermines the independence of the broadcasting service. The current situation requires urgent and immediate action.

Beyond the current illegal practices, the institutional set-up of the Adjara Public Broadcasting service is itself problematic. The analysis of the system demonstrates that the staffing of the Board of Trustees is highly politicized and within this set-up, no guarantees of democracy and inclusiveness are imposed upon the Board of Trustees of the Georgian Public Broadcasting service. In the election process of the Adjara Public Broadcasting Board of Trustees, the Public Defender’s office is not allowed to nominate its own candidates, while the quota of five board members is distributed proportionally to the divisions of the Adjara Supreme Council and no more robust, predetermined quota system is established.

Adjara Public Broadcasting does not yet have a priority document or a strategic development document. Although the previous management started working on this process with the active involvement of staff, it was impossible to complete it after the crisis created by the Board of Trustees and the sudden impeachment of Natia Kapanadze. It is noteworthy that the new director began his work by interfering with editorial independence and did not even initiate reform and development initiatives.

Adjara Broadcasting's journalists have expressed criticism for the lack of labor security, fair working conditions, payroll system, insurance and career growth schemes, which have not yet been included in the new director's priorities.

The dynamics and context of the developments in the service show that the situation in Adjara Public Broadcasting is deeply alarming and critical, and threatens media freedom and pluralism. It destroys public confidence in the idea of ​​a public broadcasting service and contradicts fundamental constitutional requirements. In these circumstances, EMC believes that it is essential to: 1. Take immediate action and prevent the new Director and Board of Trustees from arbitrarily intervening in editorial policy, and ensuring the reinstatement of previously illegally dismissed employees; 2. Implement systemic institutional and legislative changes in the organization and management of the broadcasting service, which will make the structure of the service more democratic and accountable. It is essential that this process be prepared through active consultations with the broadcasting service's journalists and trade unions, as well as with human rights activists.

We believe that it is imperative that the Georgian Parliament and the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara immediately apply effective parliamentary control mechanisms to secure Adjara Broadcasting's editorial policy and the rights of journalists working here, and secure the institutional, editorial and organizational independence of the broadcasting service.

Share