On November 23, a segment aired on the pro-government television channel “Imedi” aimed at discrediting the platform “Sinatle Media.” “Sinatle Media” is an association of 21 independent online media outlets, created after legislative regulations passed by “Georgian Dream” placed media organizations in a difficult position. Specifically, laws passed in the spring restrict media from receiving grants, label them as conduits for “foreign forces,” and create the threat of criminal prosecution. The media outlets decided to form an association and request financial support from the public.

The title of the “Imedi” segment was “Foreign Intelligence Media Network.” The program’s host, Irakli Chikhladze, claimed that “it has been analyzed how foreign intelligence agencies operate with secret scenarios,” during which the aforementioned media outlets were portrayed as part of this scenario. In the subsequent 15-minute segment, it was repeatedly claimed, without evidence, that the media outlets had received 17 million GEL in funding.

“Sinatle Media” responded to the disinformation segment aired on the pro-government channel with the following statement:

“Due to the segment prepared by ‘Imedi’ television, where Russian disinformation narratives and obvious lies deliberately fabricated by local propagandists are intertwined, we are submitting a joint statement to the self-regulatory body and demand a denial of the false information aired in the segment. We also demand live airtime to give us the opportunity to respond to these absurd accusations.”