23:20, 4 May 2011

Georgia holds flash mob in defence of media independence

On May 3, the World Press Freedom Day, human rights defenders held an action in support of independence of mass media near the building of the parliament in Tbilisi.

The action took place at the initiative of the Tbilisi Human Rights House, which unites several human rights organizations. The participants of the flash mob held newspapers upside down, as if asserting that the press in the country is at such low level that it does not matter how to hold a newspaper.

"We wanted to remind the society that the world is today celebrating the Press Freedom Day, that everyone has the right to the freedom of speech, and the authorities must protect the freedom of the press," the "News-Georgia" quotes Nazi Dzhanezashvili, executive director of the organization "Article 42 of the Constitution".

The event was attended by several dozens of persons. They wanted to say that without free media no democratic state can exist, the "Georgia Online" reports.