Speaker Papuashvili: Nobody is obliged to endure defamation; robust legal instruments must be available to all

“Effective legal mechanisms must be in place to hold accountable anyone who engages in defamation or hate speech,” Speaker of Parliament Shalva Papuashvili declared on Friday.

Papuashvili made the comments when asked by journalists regarding a recent public statement by Bera Ivanishvili, who said: “‘I demand legal redress over the vile and defamatory accusations levelled against me; taking this to court is not about seeking revenge against anyone, but rather defending my personal honour.'”

“No one is obliged to tolerate character assassination. For years, unfortunately, foreign donor-funded organisations were trying to persuade us that falsehoods and hate speech constitute free expression. Let me be clear: defamation and malice are not part of freedom of speech.

Robust legal instruments must exist for anyone targeted by slander and hate speech, and everyone should make full use of such remedies. Defamation is, fundamentally, a core weapon in hybrid warfare tactics used by various interest groups to undermine both society and the state,” the Speaker stated.