According to the 2024 report of the Public Defender, during the autumn-winter protests of last year, journalists, alongside protesters, became victims of extraordinary aggression by law enforcement.

As mentioned in the annual report presented by the Ombudsman to Parliament, journalists were subjected to both misconduct and interference in their professional activities.

"During the autumn-winter protests of 2024, various media outlets disseminated information and video footage regarding the physical violence, verbal abuse, obstruction of work, and damage to equipment directed at journalists and cameramen; also, reports about injuries, including those caused by the use of tear gas. Unfortunately, during the protests, several journalists and media representatives were injured, and several of them required medical assistance at health facilities, with their physical safety and lives being put at risk. On the very first day of the protests, journalist Guram Rogava became a victim of misconduct by a member of the special forces, who attacked him while he was working live on air. One journalist explained that he was suddenly and completely unjustifiably arrested by masked police officers. He stated that during the arrest, he was thrown to the ground by over ten law enforcement officers, who beat him on his face and body. He suffered injuries in different areas. According to reports, as a result of the violence, he required surgery on his nose. Additionally, journalist Mariam Gaprindashvili was injured during a live report, which required her to be transferred to a clinic,” the Ombudsman’s report states.

The Ombudsman explains that it is necessary to conduct an effective investigation into all these incidents and bring the responsible individuals to justice.

“The state must ensure the creation of a safe environment for journalists to carry out their work. According to the Public Defender’s office, no criminal act against journalists has led to the identification and punishment of the responsible offenders,” the report states.

Furthermore, according to Levan Ioseliani, during the 2024 spring protests, information about group attacks by unknown individuals against politically active people and civil activists was regularly disseminated through mass media.

“After examining the complaints submitted to the Public Defender’s office, where complainants pointed to harassment and abuse related to their professional, public, or political activities, the Public Defender identified the state’s unclear and, perhaps, arbitrary approach,” the report says.