Twenty-two Georgian online platforms have accused one of the country’s biggest broadcasters of spreading falsehoods in a recent television report, DFWatch reports.

In a joint statement released Wednesday, the platforms said they have filed a complaint with Georgia’s self-regulatory body, demanding that TV Imedi retract information aired in a recent investigative segment. The journalists say the report portrayed independent media as “agents” and “anti-Georgian outlets” and relied on a mix of false claims and conspiracy-style accusations.

The statement argues that critical questions about major public issues, including the government’s deal with the Emirati developer Eagle Hills and the ongoing higher-education reform, have made independent outlets a target. The signatories say the ruling Georgian Dream party and pro-government media are attempting to undermine critical reporting by pushing discrediting narratives.

The backdrop to the complaint is a 15-minute Imedi TV report, aired Sunday, which portrayed a coalition of online news platforms, known as “Light Media” (sinatle.media) as part of a coordinated campaign against the state. According to the platforms, the segment tied unrelated stories together and accused independent journalists of amplifying unrest, misrepresenting political developments and receiving foreign support. The online media outlets say the accusations are baseless and were stitched together to delegitimize critics.

The report follows years of increasing tensions between the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party and a handful of online platforms run by local non-governmental organizations. The outlets note that their three-month public fundraising drive collected close to 100,000 lari (37,000 USD), which helped them pay for offices and maintain websites. They argue that this support itself has made them a target for political attacks.

The joint statement says the journalists want Imedi to grant them live airtime to respond directly to the allegations. They say they remain committed to continuing their work, which includes coverage of nationwide protests, political disputes, corruption allegations, human rights concerns and other sensitive issues.

Appealing to the Media Self-Regulation Council, the 22 outlets ask for a review of the primetime report on the country’s most watched TV network.