On July 9, 2012, the Public Broadcaster’s board of trustees granted the appellate claim of Iuri Vazagashvili and Tsiala Shanava.

On May 2, 2012, a report prepared about an assembly of Zurab Vazagashvili’s relatives and representatives of the society, marking anniversary of Zura Vazagashvili’s death by Tennis Courts was aired during the 4pm newscast Moambe. The report provided a detailed overview of the incident that occurred on May 2, 20116, involving death of Zura Vazagashvili. The report noted that ‘Vazagashvili was a member of an armed gang’.

With the assistance of GYLA, Zura Vazagashvili’s parents filed a complaint with the self-regulatory agency of the Public Broadcaster, seeking rebuttal of the information.

On June 13, 2012, under the decision of the general director of the legal entity of public law Public Broadcaster, the claim of Iuri Vazagashvili and Tsiala Shanava was turned down. The decision was appealed in the appellate body (board of trustees) of the Georgian Public Broadcaster, which ruled that the phrase ‘Vazagashvili was a member of an armed gang’ voiced in the report aired during the 4pm newscast Moambe on May 2, 2012, violated due accuracy.

The general director of the Public Broadcaster was ordered to ensure that the 4pm newscast Moambe reports on the July 8, 2012 decision of the Board of Trustees.

It is important that the very same decision ordered compliance to the requirements envisaged by the Code of Conduct of the Public Broadcaster and taking of preventive measures.

GYLA welcomes the fair decision of the legal entity of public law Public Broadcaster.

We remain hopeful that the noted precedent will promote strengthening the standard of the presumption of innocence in media.