Media Development Foundation (MDF), a Georgian fact-checking platform partnering with Facebook, has published a study revealing coordination between Georgian Dream and Russia-linked groups in social media.
On January 22, Natia Beridze, a journalist from POS TV, an outlet affiliated with Ivanishvili-linked anti-western People’s Power, verbally assaulted Levan Berdzenishvili, a literature and Government critic in the street. The video, filmed by the journalist, was actively shared by both Georgian Dream and Russia-linked groups on Facebook almost simultaneously, the study found, accompanied by hate comments.
Just last week, Alt Info, a Russia-linked violent extremist group disrupted Mr Berdzenishvili’s lecture in Kvareli Euro-Atlantic Center with the Police standing idle.
Both Georgian Dream as well as Russia-linked groups have long bashed Mr Berdzenishvili for being critical of King Irakli II for concluding an alliance with Russia in 1783, which eventually resulted in annexation of the Eastern Georgian kingdom by the Russian Empire in 1801.
King Irakli is a much-loved national hero for his continuous fight against Iranian and Turkish invasions.
“Exactly what this lecture was planned for happened,” Giya Voski, Parliament Vice-Speaker from GD said after the incident, calling a literature critic a provocateur.
დახურვა