ქართული ჟურნალისტიკა და მედია საბოლოოდ ჩაიძირა.
ჩაისვარეს. და არც კი სცხვენიათ.

სიტყვის თავისუფლებაზე რამდენს ბჭობენ, როგორ ”იბრძვიან” - და ამხელა ამბავი გამოეპარათ.

აზერბაიჯანელი ბლოგერები ემინ მილი და ადნან ჰაჯიზადე ორი თვის წინ დაიჭიარეს და დღეს საბოლოოდ გაასამართლეს მხოლოდ იმ ბრალდებით, რომ ისინი მთავრობას აკრიტიკებდნენ, აშარჟებდნენ და დასცინოდნენ. ოფიციალური ბრალდება - ხულიგნობა.

2 წელიწადი იმისათვის, რომ ვირს ჩამოართვა ინტერვიუ - ბევრია თუ ცოტა?

ქართველ ჟურნალისტებს რა უჭირთ, სულ ვირებს არ ართმევენ ინტერვიუებს? სულ თავისუფლად თანაც…

A comment from სულხანი agreed.

სამაგიეროდ ჩვენი ტელევიზიები ძალიან ოპერატიულად (თანაც საღამოს საინფორმაციოს პირველ სიუჟეტად) აშუქებენ პენელოპა კრუსის სავარაუდო ჩამოსვლას ჩვენთან)

ტფუი..

Another comment, this time from Natosha, remembers that sensitivities surrounding Azerbaijan in Georgia even extend to monuments.

ეს ამბავი რომ გავიგე ერთი რაღაც გამახსენდა.
უხსოვარ დროს ფოტოჟურნალისტიკას ვსწავლობდით და დავალებით გაგვიშვეს ალიევის ბაღის გახსნის გადასაღებად (თბილისში, აბანოებთან რომ არის). ხოდა, იმ ბაღში ძეგლიც დგას.. და პრინციპულად არ შეგვიშვეს ფოტოების გადასაღებად, მანამ სანამ ალაგებდნენ ტერიტორიას. და მერე აღარ მახსოვს ლექციაზე ითქვა, თუ ვიღაცამ თქვა (ძალიან ბუნდოვნად მახსოვს ეგ მომენტი), რომ არ შეიძლებოდა ისეთი კადრების დაფიქსირება, სადაც ვთქვათ, ასფლატს გვიან და ფონზე ძეგლია.. ან მსგავსი კადრები, რომლის სხვანაირად “ინტერპრეტირება” შეიძლებაო. ვოტ.

After one online site criticized the lack of attention in the local media, I commented on the report after posting it on Facebook.

Nevertheless, some online journalists such as თავისუფალი სიტყვის ბლოგი made entries on their blogs about the case, pointing out why Georgian bloggers should be concerned. It was also republished in the local press.

აღსანიშანავია, რომ საქართველოში ჯერჯერობით ბლოგერებს სიტყვის თავისუფლების მხრივ სერიოზული პრობლემები აქამდე ჯერ არ ჰქონიათ.  მიუხედავად ამისა, რამდენიმე კვირის წინ იუტუბის რამდენიმე მომხმარებელს მცირე პრობლემები მაინც შეექმნათ. გასულ თვეში ვიდეოპორტალზე გავრცელდა პატრიარქის გაშარჟებული ვიდეოები, რასაც საზოგადოების მხრიდან უარყოფითი რეაქცია მოჰყვა. დაიწყო გამოძიება. შინაგან საქმეთა სამინისტრომ ვიდეოების გავრცელებაში ბრალდებული ორი ახალგაზრდა დაკითხა და ნივთმტკიცების სახით მათ კომპიუტერები და ფოტოაპარატები ჩამოართვა, აგრეთვე გაჩხრიკეს მათი სახოვრებელი სახლები.

Meanwhile, despite the criticism, Social Blurbs, a new English-language Georgian blog on social media, suggests readers acquaint themselves with the Hajizade and Milli case on Global Voices Online as well as on a support site. It also notes how some Georgian bloggers and journalists were covering the case.

Although the trial was not the hottest topic for absolute majority of the Georgian social media contributors, still having couple bloggers (Dodka and Cyxymi) representing Georgia at the WBF2009, helped to interest few others in here.

All day Dodka was tweeting from WBF about the case. Later Giga Paichadze aka Dv0rsky retweeted and posted about it also blaming Georgian media “that is fighting for freedom of expression and does not notice” such a big event next door, however some links in comments indicated that media has covered the trial and arrest of Azeri bloggers.

Meanwhile, full coverage of the detention, trial and imprisonment of Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli is available in the Azerbaijan section of Global Voices Online and on the OL! Blog (in English and Azeri). The hashtag #EminAdnan is also used on Twitter.

Onnik Krikorian is a British blogger, journalist, and photographer of Armenian decent who has been living in Yerevan, one of the world's oldest continuously-inhabited cities, for the past 11 years. He is the Caucasus Editor for Global Voices where he amplifies the latest discussions taking place among bloggers in Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia. Most recently he has focused his efforts on covering the case against two Azeri bloggers who were sentenced to two and two and a half years in jail.

In addition to his own blog, he also writes at Frontline Club and tracks his photojournalism on Lightstalkers and on his website.

Transcript:

My name is Onnik Krikorian. I'm the Caucasus Editor for Global Voices Online. I actually can't remember how long I've been working for Global Voices which maybe is a good sign … I think maybe two years. But I've been aware of it since it started pretty much. I went to the London conference but I don't think I was officially working for Global Voices then. I am based in Armenia, though I am from England, and I cover Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.

Usually it is whatever is happening Unfortunately, with the region, it tends to be political and especially around elections or arrests or violence after elections. Stuff like that. I mean, I have tried to do more cultural things but generally, because of the environment in the region, most of the active, well-known bloggers tend to write about politics.

David: Most recently I see that you've been writing a lot about two Azeri bloggers who I think were just sentenced to prison today. Can you describe a little about that?

Onnik: Yeah, actually, it's one of the delights, strangely enough, has been to encounter the use of new media by youth activists in Azerbaijan. Totally unprecedented for the region and also exemplary for other countries such as Armenia and Georgia. Of course, their use was so effective that they showed up on the government radar screen in Azerbaijan. And, as a result, they ended up being detained after they were attacked. When they went to make a complaint at the police station the government/police/whoever turned it around and used the charge of hooliganism against them even though they were the victims. And it was pretty much a clear signal to youth activists in Azerbaijan: be silent. And, yes, they were sentenced today to two and two and a half years respectively.

David: What got you so involved in that case?

Onnik: I guess as someone who has lived in the region for 11 years, and as someone who works for Global Voices Online, who is monitoring the use of new media, who uses new media himself and who believes in it as a potential medium for change … after being disappointed in Armenia where the blogs became very politicized, I suddenly saw a really impressive, mature, intelligent use of new media in Azerbaijan. So I was following their activities anyway, and then when they were attacked, and when they were detained, it was just like, this needs to be covered. And, of course, it would need to be covered anyway. But the point is that I was always aware of them anyway.

As for me, it was an example to the whole region of how new media could be used by civil society to try to promote change in authoritarian countries of which actually all of the states in the South Caucasus are.

David: What do you see as some similarities and differences in the region that you cover on Global Voices and other regions that are covered on Global Voices?

Onnik: I guess I might get kinda jealous of the other regions. Mainly because usually the internet penetration is higher. The use of blogs is higher. The number of blogs is higher. Even, if you consider that most of the countries of the South Caucasus have very tiny populations - like Armenia is not more than three million Georgia is about five, Azerbaijan is seven. So, already you have a small population in the region. And internet penetration is very low as well so it means that there are less blogs. Also, I would like to see some more mature use. I did say that I did see that happening in the region, but the blogosphere is not as developed as in other regions.

The other difference is because of the nature of the South Caucasus the key events - and it's not just blogs, it's also the media unfortunately - the main areas of interest in the South Caucasus usually relate to falsified elections, war, and that's it really.

David: Give us a story that you've covered in the South Caucasus that doesn't have to do with politics.

Onnik: OK, one of my favorite Global Voices posts in fact was, actually again, from Azerbaijan and it was about Novruz which is the Zoroastrian new year The Iranians celebrate it, in Turkey they celebrate it and in Azerbaijan. And there are actually some cultural blogs which have been very refreshing for me to see based in Azerbaijan. And one of the blogs, “Sheki, Azerbaijan” is a wonderful wonderful blog which really sums up the culture, customs, and traditions of Azerbaijan. And there were many others as well dealing with Novruz, and that was one of my favorite favorite posts. It was nice. It wasn't violence, it wasn't elections it wasn't war, it was just a really nice post that summed up the richness of the culture of the South Caucasus.

David: We've talked a little bit about the use of social media to bring people who are from different communities or different countries together. Do you have some examples or thoughts about that?

Onnik: Actually, Global Voices has been a good example of that because, for example, I am based in Armenia, I am half Armenian. And Armenia and Azerbaijan are at war with each other over a disputed territory situated within Azerbaijan. Communication links are closed, borders are closed, it's impossible even for me as a British citizen to visit Azerbaijan because of my surname, which is an Armenian surname.

However, writing about some of these blog entries on Global Voices has actually got me emails from people in Azerbaijan thanking me. And that was actually kind of unprecedented and was such a pleasant surprise. Even most recently because of the coverage of the Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli case I even received an email - again, a reader message from my Global Voices page - from a 24-year-old Azeri refugee from Armenia who was forced to leave Armenia at the age of four when the war started.

Again, just thanking me. And now we're in communication. Now we're Facebook friends. Those sorts of things have happened because of new media and because of Global Voices. I mean, nothing can replace that. That has been one of the best highlights of this year.

The Georgian police are reported to have tracked down the thought criminals responsible for “indecent and insulting” satirical videos which targeted the head of the Orthodox Church and caused a nationwide scandal in this fervently religious country. A statement from the Interior Ministry identified the culprits as a school pupil and a student. […]

Evolutsia, examines the larger issue as it relates to the power of the Church and freedom of speech. In an op-ed piece on the newly launched English-language news blog, Inge Snip sounds the alarm bells.

One of the most fundamental freedoms is, I believe, the freedom of speech. Freedom of speech enables a country to show to every citizen that their opinion is allowed to be heard, no matter the content. In addition, a true democracy allows the mocking of important figures in society, and by doing so, it shows its maturity.

[…]

To conclude, there is no grounds for investigating this issue, nor should there be; however, the law enforcement agencies did the opposite, because there is some kind of popular demand. As a student of law, this is easily one of the most ridiculous grounds for any judicial investigation I have ever heard.

Radio Free Liberty journalist Niko Nergadze talked about a blog, which he has been running for over a year. After the lecture, he told Georgia Today that the participants were very active at the forum.

[…]

Nergadze added that forums like these are important for Georgia as new media exists, but is limited.

“Still we are very far from claiming that the Internet and new media have a serious influence on events. But we are heading toward something,” he said.

Ruso Panozashvili, a journalist and another forum participant, agrees with Nergadze about the event's importance.

“The importance of new media is high in Georgia where television and so-called traditional media outlets are strongly controlled,” she said. “This is not good for quality. This is why it is important to develop media with alternative tools, which in this case is new media.”

Global Voices Online's Caucasus Editor also made a presentation at the event, and was later interviewed by the same publication.

Last week Georgia Today published a story about Media Forum, an event that took place last week in Mtatsminda Park. This week we offer an interview with Onnik Krikorian, a British-Armenian journalist and photographer based in Armenia, the Caucasus editor for Global Voices Online, and the Armenia editor for Oneworld.net. During the New Media Forum he presented the Global Voices Web site and talked about the importance of new media in the Caucasus.

At the event, Global Voices Online interviewed three local bloggers, Dodka, Dv0rsky and Sweet. A second, longer interview by Polish new media specialist Jakub Górnicki, who was also presenting at the forum, is now available online.

Video discussion with Dodie Kharkheli (aka Dodie Kissie, Dodka), Giga Paitchadze (aka Dv0rsky), Mari Talakhadze (aka Sweet) about their blogs, what pushed them into blogging and how blogosphere developing in Georgia and South Caucasus. Show was broadcasted live on October 15th 2009 from Tbilisi.

Dodie Kharkheli (aka Dodie Kissie, Dodka), Giga Paitchadze (aka Dv0rsky), Mari Talakhadze (aka Sweet), New Media Forum, Tbilisi, Georgia: Video grab © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2009

Following last year's Caucasus Bar Camp in Tbilisi, Georgia, came this week's New Media Forum supported by the Open Society Georgia Foundation (OSGF) and the Mtatsminda Park. With the Georgian blogosphere arguably the least developed in the region, the two-day event sought to evangelize the potential of new and social media to a specialist audience.

Around 200 journalists, students and social activists will gather in the amusement park on mount Mtatsminda to learn more about new media opportunities, blogging, social networks, citizen journalism, podcasting, Internet TV, contact management systems, and of course, social impact of new media.

Global Voices Online also presented at the event along with guest speakers from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Poland, U.K., and the U.S. The event also launched Blogroll.ge, a portal designed to aggregate, rate, rank and populize blogs in the former Soviet republic. The forum was covered by the local mainstream TV and print media as well as by bloggers.

It also gave Global Voices Online's Caucasus Editor the opportunity to interview three of Georgia's most prominent and prolific new media advocates, Dodie Kissie (http://dodka.ge and http://ni2news.ge), Dv0rsky (http://www.dgiuri.com and http://www.face.ge), and Sweet (http://www.sweet.ge).

Interview with Georgian bloggers from onewmphoto on Vimeo.

Assessing the state of the Internet in Georgia is rather complicated, however, but in the near future a new service – Georgian blog catalogue will be launched. The catalogue will include all the blogs and services categorized by topic in order to simplify access to information. That will make it easier to find authors and blogs on the Internet.

The presentation of the blog catalogue is scheduled to take place in October 2009, within the framework of next week's Georgian New Media Forum. The forum will also deal with new media in general, blogs, journalism and so on. Ahead of the launch of the blog catalogue, however, a short list of Georgian blogs is available at http://blogroll.design.ge.

Until then, following analysis of the situation, the picture in Georgia is as follows:  there are over 1,500 Georgian-language blogs, a third of which are active and post at least one article per day. There are also blogs by foreign visitors to our country, but their number is not so high and at this stage are not going to be listed for review.

From our viewpoint, the most active Georgian blogs, which receive 200-300 unique visitors a day, include:

http://dodka.ge/

http://sweet.ge/

http://tomushka.blogspot.com/

http://linguistuss.wordpress.com/

http://tiny.ge/

As you can see, the topics covered by Georgian blogs is rather diverse with many bloggers mainly writing about their personal lives. However, many of them also simultaneously comment on or review political developments, the economy, theatre, music, photography or design. Nevertheless, thematic blogs on specific topics are rather rare.

However, there are blogs on cuisine, wine, military topics and so on. For example, ბლოგი ღვინისა და გემოვნების შესახებ [GE] covers wine and recipes while Military Thoughts [GE] is a blog about military theory and is rather interesting too. While there are not so many blogs of this kind, we can also mentions blogs by Gogi Gvakharia, Niko Nergadze and other journalists from Radio Liberty.

There are also blogs such as თავისუფალი სიტყვის ბლოგი [GE], whose author is an amateur Georgian journalist. In the future our rubric is to review such popular blogs to raise public interest and awareness of the authors and blogging in general.

The original unabridged version of this article on the blogosphere in Georgia first appeared in Georgian, Russian and English on Media.ge.