Georgian right-wing media outlet Alt-Info to be aired on local provider Silknet after months of dispute
Based on the GNCC Silknet was obliged to comply with Alt-Info's request, otherwise it would have been fined permanently until the issue was resolved. Photo: RFE/RL.
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Georgian telecommunication provider Silknet has agreed to air and include in all its packages right-wing media outlet Alt-Info after months of a dispute caused by the outbreak of violence at the Tbilisi Pride counter rally on July 5.
Alt-Info has been actively expressing and encouraging violence and aggression against the Tbilisi Pride march while founders of the media outlet were participating in the counter rally on July 5.
Later in July police searched the apartments of Alt-Info’s founder and its members however, no case was filed against them.
Both Silknet’s lawyer Kakhi Kurashvili and Alt-Info's representative confirmed that the agreement has been reached yesterday between the companies.
Yesterday we (Silknet and Alt-Info) signed an agreement on mandatory conduct (of TV channel) in accordance with the law,” Kurashvili said.
Alt-Info has lodged complaints against Silknet to the Georgian National Communication Commission (GNCC) several times before they reached the agreement.
Based on the GNCC Silknet was obliged to comply with Alt-Info's request otherwise, it would have been fined permanently until the issue was resolved.
Facebook deleted two dozen pages, 12 groups and more than 30 accounts from Georgia across its two platforms in March after "coordinated inauthentic behaviour" from their content was found to have links to the Georgian March ultranationalist party.
Georgian Public Defender Nino Lomjaria has asked the country’s Chief Prosecutor’s Office to launch a criminal prosecution against archpriest Spiridon Tskipirishvili and a right-wing activist and an anchor of ultra-nationalist Internet platform Alt-Info Zurab Makharadze for their role on an anti-LGBT demonstration in central Tbilisi in early July.
Over 200 media representatives have called on the General Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia to launch an investigation into the violence against dozens of journalists by right-wing activists at the Tbilisi Pride counter rally on July 5.
After six hours of interrogation Guram Palavandishvili, Zurab Makharadze and archpriest Tskipurishvili have left the Tbilisi Main Police Department. All three individuals interrogated today say they did not commit any violence during the counter rally on July 5. Makharadze said that 'if there is pressure from the US ambassador and ambassadors of the European countries' he could not rule out being arrested.
Individuals protesting the Tbilisi Pride march scheduled for 6 p.m. later today are now gathering in central Tbilisi for a counter rally, following the calls of the Patriarchate and right-wing groups. Both sides say that there might be a clash and urge police to ensure safety. Right-wing activist Guram Palavandishvili has stated that the police may stand by the Tbilisi Pride participants which may irritate the public and spark tension.
The Georgian right-wing media outlet Alt-Info founders have failed to register the political party Conservative Movement, which they established on November 20, by National Agency of Public Registry due to mistakes made while filling out the application form.
The political party Conservative Movement of the Georgian right-wing media outlet Alt-Info has been officially registered by the National Agency of Public Registry on December 7.
Facebook has deleted pages and groups associated with the Georgian-based pro-Russian media outlet Alt-Info on the backdrop of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy has said.