During the “Reclaim Our Voice!” protest organized by women on 13 November 2024, near Georgia’s Central Election Commission in Tbilisi (თბილისი), Georgia, photojournalist and freelancer Vakho Kareli (ვახო ქარელი) faced obstruction from state authorities while covering the event. Despite repeatedly identifying himself as a member of the press, Kareli was forcibly removed from the area where the protest took place by a policeman with words: “If you’re a journalist, you shouldn’t be arrogant.” The protest was part of a broader demonstration against alleged electoral fraud connected to the October 2024 parliamentary elections.
Tensions arose as police prevented participants from blocking traffic, leading to confrontations. Kareli, who claims he was standing on the roadside alongside other reporters, recounted that a police officer allegedly acted aggressively and refused to explain the intervention, even attempting to forcibly relocate him. In response to the incident, Kareli has filed a complaint with the Special Investigation Service.
Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics – https://www.qartia.ge/en) condemned the incident, emphasizing that journalists must be treated with respect and allowed to perform their duties, especially during public protests. Press freedom organizations and other watchdogs have demanded that authorities ensure the protection and professional rights of media workers, particularly as journalists in Georgia continue to face rising pressure and challenges while reporting on politically sensitive events.
More about the work of Kareli you can see also online: https://www.instagram.com/vakhokareli/. He works for different media in the countries, like Aprili Media (https://aprili.media/main/) and Formulanews (https://formulanews.ge/).
It was not the first time that Kareli had problems with the state authorities in Georgia. Last year, in October, the State Security Service of Georgia – სახელმწიფო უსაფრთხოების სამსახური (SSSG / SUS) summoned Kareli and one additional person in a follow up to a training plot allegation, after participating in a training organized by a foreign NGO. According to SUS “destabilization and unrest” were planned by “a certain group of persons operating on the territory of Georgia and beyond.”
The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) condemns the obstruction and mistreatment of photojournalist Vakho Kareli. SEEMO emphasizes that such actions undermine press freedom and the ability of journalists to report safely and freely, which is a core pillar of democracy. SEEMO calls on Georgian authorities to respect journalists’ rights and ensure their safety while carrying out their duties. SEEMO will be closely monitoring developments in this case.
South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is a regional non-governmental, non profit network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in Southeast, South, East and Central Europe. SEEMO members are in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova (with the territory of Transdnestria), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye / Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Austria, Italy, Vatican and San Marino have a special status in SEEMO. SEEMO has over 3000 individual members, and additional media as corporate members.
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