Georgian Technical University – “We call on the media to refrain from irresponsible statements”

Georgian Technical University accuses “TV Pirveli” of discrediting students and calls on the media to refrain from irresponsible statements.

Georgian Technical University responds to a report circulated by “TV Pirveli” on social media, which was accompanied by the following caption: “Behind GTU Rector David Gurgenidze stands Vice-Rector Tamar Lominadze, next to whom are State Security Service agents (bearded) to manage students and exert influence over them.”

In response to this latest irresponsible statement, Georgian Technical University has issued a special statement, which we present in full:

“Public discussion surrounding the possible merger of Georgian Technical University and Tbilisi State University has generated significant tension in the public space, leading to a number of irresponsible and inaccurate interpretations by the media. Particularly concerning are the evaluations and visual narratives being circulated before Georgian Technical University has announced its official position, which depends on the university’s internal consultation processes.

In this context, the report disseminated on social media by the television company ‘TV Pirveli,’ along with the attached caption suggesting that behind the Rector of Georgian Technical University allegedly stand the Vice-Rector and ‘SSS agents to manage students and exert influence over them,’ constitutes clear defamation and a gross violation of professional ethics.

Media independence does not mean spreading unverified accusations, shaping public opinion through visual manipulation, or discrediting specific institutions, individuals, or social groups.

In this case, the assessment simultaneously insults the university, its academic self-governance, and its students, who are effectively portrayed in the report as controlled, pressured, or participants in a violent process.

It is particularly problematic to depict students as if they are being used as instruments to influence or “bully” other students. Such a narrative contradicts the fundamental principles of academic freedom, student self-expression, and the university as an independent educational space.

At the same time, it must be emphasized that working for the State Security Service is not in itself a shameful fact and cannot be used as a label to discredit individuals or groups. However, it is entirely unacceptable when a security institution and a university are portrayed in the same context as a punitive or repressive mechanism, with students presented as active executors of that mechanism. Such an approach insults not only specific individuals but also state institutions and the authority of the state itself.

In public discourse, the role of responsible media is to provide fact-based, balanced, and ethical coverage. The material in question violates the fundamental principles of journalistic ethics, including standards of accuracy, fact-checking, impartiality, and respect for human dignity. Media independence cannot serve as a basis for defamation, labeling, or discrediting institutions.

It is also important to note that Georgian Technical University has not yet published its official position on this matter, as an internal consultation process is ongoing. Against this background, the dissemination of such content further increases the risks of disinformation and public polarization. We call on the media to refrain from such irresponsible statements,” the statement of Georgian Technical University reads.