With support from Reporters Without Borders (RSF), and amid escalating pressure on independent media and press freedom in Georgia, Publika became the country’s first JTI-certified news outlet. The milestone reinforces its commitment to transparency, credibility, and ethical journalism at a time of political turmoil, restrictive legislation, and growing threats to journalists’ safety and access to information.
With support from RSF, Publika underwent the audit to become the first media outlet in Georgia to receive the JTI certification—an important milestone that reinforces its commitment to transparency, credibility, and ethical journalism. “We view this certification as a responsibility to further strengthen our adherence to ethical journalism and improve our reporting based on the recommendations outlined in the audit”, said Zura Vardiashvili, General Director of Publika. The audit process—which took place in the first half of 2025—coincided with a particularly difficult period in Georgia, marked by serious political developments, including protests, violence against demonstrators, and increasing pressure on independent media.
JTI was developed in 2019 as an ISO-type international standard by roughly 130 experts from media outlets, media regulatory bodies, media associations and digital platforms. They worked to define the criteria of transparency, independence and ethics necessary for an industry standard applicable to all types of news sources. The idea of designing a self-regulatory mechanism applicable to all news sources worldwide was the initiative of the Paris-headquartered media freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
The JTI certification process has three stages. First, the introduction to the standard via JTI’s portal. Second, the self-evaluation by the media. Finally, as an option, the certifying audit. More than 2,400 media outlets in 127 countries use JTI. 1,460 are currently undergoing self-assessment, 830 published their transparency report, and 135 obtained JTI certification following an audit.
“By meeting the criteria of the Journalism Trust Initiative, Publika demonstrates transparency, accuracy, and responsibility in its reporting—qualities that are especially vital in Georgia’s current media landscape, where public trust is increasingly challenged by disinformation and political pressure. The certification strengthens Publika’s standing, both locally and internationally, and reinforces its role as a reliable and ethical source of information.”
Zura Vardiashvili, General Director, Publika
Intensified threats to Georgian journalists and media viability
As RSF already reported, legislative initiatives, such as the so-called “foreign agents” law in 2025, or the new funding law, directly undermine independent media’s viability. These laws lead to stigmatization, funding difficulties, and legal risks for a range of organisations, including media outlets and NGOs, further increasing their potential criminalisation.
Authorities increasingly treat journalists covering protests as participants rather than observers, pursuing them on dubious charges such as “incitement to disorder,” “blocking a roadway,” or “interfering with police officers” under laws ostensibly meant to safeguard public order.
In this regard, the case of Mzia Amaghlobeli—the co-founder of independent media outlets Batumelebi and Netgazeti who was convicted on August 6, 2025 of the crime of “attacking a police officer,” to whom she gave a symbolic slap in an incident in January—is the first politically-motivated imprisonment of a woman journalist in Georgia since the country’s independence in 1991.
Georgian media outlets report the systematic fining of reporters merely following marches and their forced removal from protest sites by law enforcement, while pro-government outlets and coordinated troll networks simultaneously escalate smear and insult campaigns against independent media and civil society actors.
Finally, access to information for independent media remains restricted, with several journalists denied entry to state briefings or parliamentary discussions. The ruling Georgian Dream party took another repressive step and restricted journalists from working at court hearings.
