Imedi TV fined with GEL 5k for refusal to air opposition European Georgia election ad

Georgian TV channel Imedi, which has refused to air a political advertisement of the opposition party European Georgia in the run up to the October 2 elections, has been fined with GEL 5,000.

The Communications Commission (ComCom), a regulatory body responsible for broadcasting and electronic communication, has satisfied the complaint of the opposition European Georgia party, which was also upheld by the court.

• Regulator says Imedi TV refusal to air opposition European Georgia election ad was groundless

Nevertheless, Imedi TV did not air the opposition party’s another political ad. The European Georgia therefore addressed the ComCom with a new complaint.

Imedi TV claims that the ads trigger ‘hate speech’ and is assaulting, while its content is ‘unethical and unscrupulous’.

Photo: Imedinews.ge

The TV company has meanwhile refused to air another opposition United National Movement’s free political ad, which Imedi TV claims ‘includes signs of crime, illegal actions, triggers crime and is aimed at causing unrest and antisocial actions’.

• TV channel Imedi refuses to air political ad of opposition European Georgia party

ComCom, which has studied the content of the political ads based on the standards of the supreme court, says they do not contradict with the general norms and principles of the constitution.

Therefore, ComCom has announced that Imedi TV has violated the election code in all the above cases, thus the complaints of the two opposition parties have been satisfied.