Two-day media-seminar – The Role of the Media in the Fight against Terrorism and Organized Crime” has been organized jointly by the State Security Service of Georgia and the EU Project  “Support the Fight against Organized Crime in Georgia”The event was attended by Deputy Head of the State Security Service – Alexander Khojevanishvili, Head of the Counterterrorism Center  - Irakli Chimakadze, Head of Administration – Nana Beridze, Deputy Team Leader of the EU project: “Supporting Fight against Organized Crime in Georgia” – Martin Bagshaw and Director of Strategic Communications Department of Ministry of Internal Affairs – Nino Giorgobiani.

Representatives of Georgian media from TV outlets, as well as information agencies and printed media participated in the seminar.

The seminar aimed at discussing the role of media in the fight against terrorism and further deepening of cooperation between media and law-enforcement authorities in this direction.

The sessions have been led by the experts from the UK and Georgia, as well as by the representatives of the State Security Service, in particular: former head of various directions of strategic matters of fight against terrorism in the Government of Great Britain – Sir Ken Jones; former chief of Anti-terrorism unit of Police of the Great Britain and advisor to law-enforcement agencies in terrorism matters – Peter Minshal; independent journalist working on criminal matters, former editor of “London Evening Standard’ – Justin Davenport; Deputy Head of Counterterrorism Center of the State Security Service – Bacha Mgeladze; Director of Information-Analytical Department – Giorgi Sabedashvili; Director of Georgian Center for Strategy and Development (GCSD) – Giorgi Goguadze and President of Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies – Eka Metreveli.

British experts discussed with the participants of the seminar the specifics of work of media in the course of terrorist incidents, cooperation matters between law-enforcement authorities and media during terrorist incidents and counterterrorism operations, they have also shared the best international practice in this direction and reviewed particular examples of the Great Britain and EU countries. The importance of cooperation between law-enforcement authorities and media during terrorist incidents has been highlighted.

Representatives of the State Security Service discussed with the participants terrorism-related challenges and threats, including matters related to terrorism narrative. Within the seminar issues of improving coordination between media and law-enforcement authorities on counterterrorism matters, as well as prospects of future cooperation have been discussed.

Within the framework of the event, attention has been focused on civil sector participation in fight against radicalization and prevention of terrorism, as well as activities implemented and planned by the latter in this direction.

Upon the end of the seminar, the British expert with active engagement of the media representatives conducted a practical exercise designed on the basis of a real case scenario.