The U.S.-based PEN writers’ association warned in a report published on November 2 that the government in Georgia is clamping down on freedom of speech and cultural expression in ways that could have implications for Georgia’s bid to join the European Union.
The report by PEN America highlighted a “concerning pattern of targeting individuals” in the cultural sphere who have criticized the government or expressed views at odds with the government’s line. It also highlighted the government’s interference in the system of selecting and appointing leaders of the country’s major cultural institutions.
According to the New York-based nonprofit, these practices are part of the ruling Georgian Dream party’s “concerted effort to suppress free expression and curb cultural independence in the country.”
“Their goal seems to be the redirection of overwhelming public support away from EU membership and toward stronger ties with Russia,” PEN America’s advocacy and Eurasia director, Polina Sadovskaya, said in a statement.
“These actions have drawn limited international attention, which is concerning, given that restraints on writers, artists, and cultural workers are regularly one of the first signs of democratic backsliding as autocrats seek to control public opinion,” she added.
The report details several initiatives spearheaded by Tea Tsulukiani, Georgia’s minister of culture, which according to PEN America are “aimed at overseeing and controlling Georgia’s vibrant cultural landscape.”
Among them are alleged attempts to silence artists who are critical of the government.
One case detailed in the report is a criminal investigation launched against the artist Sandro Sulaberidze, who removed his self-portrait from a gallery wall and had painted in its place the phrase “Art is alive and independent!”
Another case mentioned in the report is that of Gaga Chkheidze, who was dismissed from his position as director of the Georgian National Film Center…
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