The News in Brief
Monday, November 28, 2022
Prepared by Messenger Staff
Patriarchate of Georgia statements increase risks of attacks on journalists, Media Advocacy Coalition
On November 26, the Head of Public Relations of the Patriarchate of the Georgian Orthodox Church, Dean Andria Jagmaidze, said that 'some mass media' are helping citizens to act against the Church, and are engaged in a hidden and organized anti-church campaign.
The Media Advocacy Coalition wrote regarding this statement and said that the Church representatives connecting the media with the crime that happened in the Tskhramukha Monastery increases the risks of violent attacks against journalists.
"Unfortunately, recently, the working environment for journalists in Georgia has become extremely dangerous - they are often not given the opportunity to freely perform their professional duties, physical and verbal attacks are a concomitant part of the activities of media representatives.
It is alarming that persons and organizations influencing public opinion, including the Patriarchate of Georgia, contribute to creating an even more aggressive environment towards the media with their hostile attitude and statements.
"Such a reference creates confusion among the population, neglects the conversation about the real reasons and ways to solve it, which is so important today to reduce both violence against women and crimes against the media," the statement reads.
Nino Lomjaria: Blaming the media for what happened in the monastery is extremely dangerous and wrong
Public defender Nino Lomjaria responded to the statement of the Patriarchate of Georgia about the rape and violence against a nun in the Tskhramukha Monastery and noted that it is extremely dangerous and wrong to blame the media for the crime.
"Very soon after the tragedy of Terjola, the worst, cruelest crime took place in Tskhramukha monastery, the whole country is shaken, but blaming the causes of this crime on the representatives of specific media outlets is extremely dangerous and wrong. Tomorrow, a citizen provoked by this statement may physically assault or rape a journalist, which we have already seen many times.
It is impossible, it is dangerous to speculate on such topics and create an image of the enemy out of innocent people.
I want to wish the victim of violence a speedy recovery! I hope that in this difficult time, he will receive proper emotional support from those around him,"said Nino Lomjaria.
Patriarchate of Georgia statements increase risks of attacks on journalists, Media Advocacy Coalition
The Media Advocacy Coalition wrote regarding this statement and said that the Church representatives connecting the media with the crime that happened in the Tskhramukha Monastery increases the risks of violent attacks against journalists.
"Unfortunately, recently, the working environment for journalists in Georgia has become extremely dangerous - they are often not given the opportunity to freely perform their professional duties, physical and verbal attacks are a concomitant part of the activities of media representatives.
It is alarming that persons and organizations influencing public opinion, including the Patriarchate of Georgia, contribute to creating an even more aggressive environment towards the media with their hostile attitude and statements.
"Such a reference creates confusion among the population, neglects the conversation about the real reasons and ways to solve it, which is so important today to reduce both violence against women and crimes against the media," the statement reads.
Nino Lomjaria: Blaming the media for what happened in the monastery is extremely dangerous and wrong
"Very soon after the tragedy of Terjola, the worst, cruelest crime took place in Tskhramukha monastery, the whole country is shaken, but blaming the causes of this crime on the representatives of specific media outlets is extremely dangerous and wrong. Tomorrow, a citizen provoked by this statement may physically assault or rape a journalist, which we have already seen many times.
It is impossible, it is dangerous to speculate on such topics and create an image of the enemy out of innocent people.
I want to wish the victim of violence a speedy recovery! I hope that in this difficult time, he will receive proper emotional support from those around him,"said Nino Lomjaria.