10:44, 16 December 2005

Freedom of speech down since Rose Revolution

The nongovernmental organisation Association of Young Lawyers has studied the condition of the Georgian media. According to its conclusions, the degree of the freedom of the press has declined noticeably since the "Rose Revolution." This was announced at a press conference in Batumi which served to summarise a research conducted as part of the Human Rights Week that began on 10 December, BBC Georgia says.

Cases of censorship and pressure on journalists have become more frequent, according to surveys among journalists. The Georgian government increasingly often interferes in the media's editorial policy. The degree of internal editorial freedom has decreased as well. Self-censorship has become much more wide-spread among journalists. To illustrate this, examples are given when television companies and newspapers have been closed or when popular or hot programmes where a variety of opinions are voiced have been taken off the air.

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