Freedom House has condemned the two-week administrative detention sentence handed down to journalist Vakho Sanaia.
The international human rights organization said Sanaia’s detention over a Facebook post criticizing Georgia’s ruling party is a “blatant violation” of his right to free expression and the latest in a series of attempts by the government to silence its critics.
Freedom House called for Sanaia’s immediate and unconditional release.
Sanaia, a journalist with TV company ‘Formula’, was sentenced to 14 days of administrative detention by Tbilisi City Court Judge Zviad Tsekvava on July 22.
The court found Sanaia guilty over a social media post he wrote about Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili and MP Vladimer Bozhadze.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Department for Combating Hate Speech requested legal action against Sanaia over the post.
The detention followed a 6,000 GEL fine issued to Sanaia on July 10 by Judge Tornike Kochkiani over another Facebook post.
After receiving the fine, Sanaia published another post criticizing the decision.
Since June 1, when inspectors from the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ newly established Hate Speech Department began monitoring social media, several people have been fined between 1,500 and 6,000 GEL.
Sanaia is the first journalist to receive an administrative detention sentence under the new measures.
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