Prosecution, charter of ethics denounce Formula TV showing shooting scene in live

Georgian Prosecutor’s Office and the Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics denounce Formula TV for airing shooting scene of co-founder of Georgian social media Feedc, Nika Kvaratskhelia.

Kvaratskhelia, 22, who was attacked by an unknown individual near his home on Anjaparidze Street yesterday, has died following a shooting.

• Co-founder of Georgian social media Feedc dies following shooting in Tbilisi centre

The prosecutor’s office said that the distribution of such materials ‘do not serve the public interests, because it triggers violence, violates the right of the victim(s) and affects the investigation’.

We call on everyone to refrain from distributing similar content”, the prosecutor’s office said, adding that the interior ministry is carrying out investigation over the murder case.

The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics also considers that the release of the video footage aimed at satisfying public curiosity rather than kits interests. Therefore, media should think twice how ‘the terrifying footage’ might affect the family and minimize the trauma.

The Charter calls on every media outlet to refrain from distribution of the mentioned footage. The footage that has been already distribution is better be deleted from every platform”, the statement reads.

Nika Kvaratskhelia created Feedc in Georgia, a location-based platform for sharing and discovering local news. It combines various types of information and enables its users to watch TV channels and participate in educational programs.