“The UK Foreign Secretary and other European partners have called on the Georgian government to release unjustly detained politicians, journalists and activists, repeal repressive legislation and engage in national dialogue with all relevant stakeholders to find a way out of the current situation,” said British Ambassador to Georgia Gareth Ward in a video address.

According to the Ambassador, the United Kingdom is proud to be a member of the Media Freedom Coalition, which defends the rights of independent journalists globally.

Many coalition members are particularly concerned about the deterioration of media freedom in Georgia, including the politically motivated prosecution of journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli for criticizing the government.

The UK government, like many European partners, views the arrest of journalists, arbitrary imprisonment and growing repression against other critics as evidence of democracy’s breakdown in Georgia, which contradicts European norms and values. Therefore, the UK Foreign Secretary and other European partners have called on Georgia’s government to release unjustly detained politicians, journalists and activists, repeal repressive legislation and engage in national dialogue with all relevant parties to find a way out of the current situation,” Gareth Ward declared.