On April 21, a photo of Dea Mamiseishvili, a journalist of the critical TV company “Mtavari Arkhi”, was published in the Facebook group “Archive of Enemies of the Country.” In the photo, the journalist wears a white T-shirt with the inscription “My Bra is too tight.” One Facebook user shared the same photo on April 26, 2023, as well.
The photo disseminated on Facebook is altered. The original photo shows journalist Dea Mamiseishvili’s shirt with the following inscription: “Irakli! Nika is not a criminal!”
The authentic photo of Dea Mamiseishvili was published on May 23, 2022, on the Facebook page of “Mtavari Arkhi”. The photo shows that Mamiseishvili’s white T-shirt features a slogan in support of the director of “Mtavari Arkhi,” Nika Gvaramia.
Dea Mamiseishvili’s T-shirt echoes the protest caused by Nika Gvaramia’s imprisonment. The court found the director of “Mtavari Arkhi” guilty in two episodes of abuse of power- causing financial damage to the TV company and receiving an expensive car. Gvaramia was sentenced to 3 years and 6 months in prison. The court’s decision was followed by protests from media representatives.
Day after Gvaramia’s sentence was announced, 36 non-governmental organizations issued a joint statement. According to the statement, the arrest of the director of “Mtavari Arkhi” is perceived as a warning and threat to other independent media outlets “is yet another example of selective investigation, prosecution and conviction.”
Myth Detector has verified disinformation disseminated with the aim to discredit journalists in the past as well. For more information, see our articles:
- Does Inga Grigolia Threaten Garibashvili with Physical Punishment? (in Georgian)
- Did Vakho Sanaia Ask the UN for protection from the Italians? (in Georgian)
- Liza Yasko or Inga Grigolia – Who Called Saakashvili “My Dear Man” (in Georgian)
- Fabricated Post in the Name of Vakho Sanaia about Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (in Georgian)
About the Source
Facebook user Dato Nacvlishvili (Faika) is one of the administrators of the Facebook group “Archive of Enemies of the Country.”
The group was created on April 17 and has about 300 members. Posts with anti-opposition, anti-Western and anti-LGBT content and programs of the pro-Kremlin “Alt-Info” TV are often shared in the group. According to the group’s description, its goal is to expose “the enemies of the country’s national identity, faith, traditions, church, education, territorial integrity, and economic situation.”
Notably, much like the group, Dato Nacvlishvili’s Facebook profile is also new and was created in March 2023. The user shares posts similar to those published in the group. Dato Nacvlishvili has an alternate Facebook profile named Faika Nacvlishvili.
In April 2022, Faika Nacvlishvili was involved in the discreditation campaign against Mikheil Saakashvili. Disinformation spread by the user has been verified by “Myth Detector” a number of times in the past. For more information, see our articles:
- “Alt-Info” Supporters Disseminate an Altered Photo of Zelenskyy and Biden Kissing
- Cocaine and a Credit Card were Manually Added to the Altered Video of Zelenskyy and Elon Musk