On August 20 and 21, pro-government TV channel POSTV, news outlets TIA.ge, For.ge, Reportiori, and Rezonansnews, as well as media holding Kvira, disseminated the statement of the leader of the political party Ahali, Nika Gvaramia. According to the information disseminated, Gvaramia made an anti-Turkish statement; in particular, during the opening of the party’s office in Zugdidi, he said: “This is the place that, regardless of what happens in Georgia – and a lot of things happen, often happen, and unfortunately they do – has never deviated from Georgia’s main path by even a millimeter, by a step, and has never moved towards either Russia or Turkey, I mean Islamic Turkey.”
This news is still posted on the Facebook page of the media outlet TIA.ge, but the story is no longer accessible through the provided link.
The media outlets disseminated Nika Gvaramia’s statement in a manipulative manner. They did not publish that part of the politician’s statement in which Gvaramia clarifies his words, explaining that he was referring to the Ottoman Empire, not modern Turkey.
On August 20, Nika Gvaramia, along with other members of the three-party coalition “For Changes,” attended the opening of the new office in Zugdidi. During his address to the supporters, he spoke about the historical significance and past of the Samegrelo region. In this address, the politician said about Zugdidi: “This is the place that, regardless of what happens in Georgia – and a lot of things happen, often happen, and unfortunately they do – has never deviated from Georgia’s main path by even a millimeter, by a step, and has never moved towards Russia, or Turkey, or… Turkey, I mean Islamic Turkey.” The media outlets published only this fragment of Gvaramia’s statement, although the politician went on to say, “Turkey, I mean Islamic Turkey… sorry, the Ottoman Empire, and [did not move towards] any other occupier.”
Disseminating incomplete information in a manipulative way may give the impression that the statement is directed against modern Turkey or is Turkophobic/Islamophobic.
The campaign to discredit politicians of opposition parties has intensified during the pre-election period. This month, Myth Detecto” checked a number of photo and visual manipulations:
- Manipulated video of “Lelo” members circulating on social network
- Manipulated Video of “Federalists” Political Party Circulates on Facebook
- Manipulated Video of Tina Bokuchava Circulating on Facebook
Archive links: POSTV, TIA.ge, Reportiori, Rezonansnews, Kvira, For.ge
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