FactCheck Georgia is a project of Georgia’s Reforms Associates (GRASS), a non-partisan, non-governmental policy watchdog and think tank (https://grass.org.ge/en). GRASS is legally registered at the National Agency of Public Registry. Please find the registration document attached below. 

They have provided a document that proves that they are a legally recognized institution's fact-checking project.

Since its launching in 2013, FactCheck Georgia has published over 2600 fact checks. All materials are available on the project web-page:

See: http://factcheck.ge – In Georgian

See: http://factcheck.ge/en/ - In English

Note: Not all fact checks are available in English. 

They regularly publish fact-checking reports in both languages and it is satisfactory according to IFCN's criterions.

1. https://bit.ly/2CFiPTk - Irakli Kobakhidze, Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia; Verdict – Lie

2. https://bit.ly/2I0L2au - Giorgi Kobulia, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia; Verdict – False

3. https://bit.ly/2TC8Gwn - Akaki Zoidze, MP, Chair of the Health and Social Affairs Committee of the Parliament of Georgia, Verdict –True

4. https://bit.ly/2CFj2WC - Mamuka Bakhtadze, Prime Minister of Georgia, Verdict – Half True

5. https://bit.ly/2FyL1aW - Giorgi Baramidze, United National Movement (opposition party), Verdict – Mostly False

6. https://bit.ly/2HTulOs - Nika Melia, United National Movement MP, Verdict – True

7. https://bit.ly/2FvdKxz - Giga Bokeria, European Georgia – Movement for Freedom MP, Verdict – Mostly True vs Ekaterine Mikabadze, Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Verdict – Manipulation of Facts

8. https://bit.ly/2YsiLQ9 - Davit Sergeenko - Minister of Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia, Verdict – Promise not fulfilled

9. https://bit.ly/2HUUUCH - Zurab Tchiaberashvili, European Georgia – Movement for Freedom MP, Verdict – Half True

10. https://bit.ly/2TXPXAm - Top 5 Fake News of 2015, Verdict – Fake News

These examples demonstrate that FactCheck Georgia is committed to nonpartisanship and fairness. No matter fact-check is applied to the representatives of the government or opposition parties, verdicts are issued in compliance with the accuracy of their statements. Archive materials published on the project web-page proves that FactCheck Georgia responds directly to the importance of adhering to the principles of defendable fact-based research, journalistic integrity on the highest of professional levels, unbias and fairness in reporting, and the accountability and transparency of sources.

Fact-checkers work according to an internal FactCheck Guideline document developed in 2013. The document has been subject to several updates and improvements and to a large degree, corresponded to the FactChecker’s Code of Principles before it was established. FactCheck Guideline contributes to maintaining coherent standards by establishing a set of rules for fact-checkers concerning the structure of articles, writing style, duties, terms, timelines, and procedures, etc. (please see attached below).

In addition, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting are ongoing throughout the course of the project. The project team regularly meets to discuss project activity and implementation, propose and implement troubleshooting mechanisms as needed and prepare and submit all internal and donor reports according to pre-established timelines.

Naturally, FactCheck recognizes the possibility that mistakes can occur in the process of writing and finalizing the articles. Therefore, should politicians or public figures disagree with our assessment of their statements (or any of our readers as well), FactCheck encourages them to provide us with a relevant argument. Received proofs are closely examined by the FactCheck board and in the event of their validity, we revise or amend our research as well as the verdict accordingly.

Examples provided by FactCheck Georgia presents diversity in terms of the actors they fact-checked statements of. While they are a politics-focused organization, they seem to have been balanced in terms of fact-checking all the parties involved.

Most of the leading actors seem to be involved in their analyses.

According to the guideline document (please see attached), project team members are obliged to leave their political preferences behind and maintain absolute nonpartisanship during fact-checking. In addition, biographies of FactCheck team members are transparent and published on the project web-page (see: https://factcheck.ge/en/chven-shesaxeb/team), demonstrating that they are not affiliated with political parties.

As the methodology document of the project points out, FactCheck Georgia is politically independent and nonpartisan (https://bit.ly/2UTboPv). Its nonpartisanship is proved by the articles published on the project web-page and the verdicts, which are based on objective analysis of information. Donor organizations, such as USAID, National Endowment for Democracy, German Marshall Fund, European Endowment for Democracy, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Georgia, US Embassy in Georgia will also confirm the impartiality of the project based on the partnership process and reports submitted.

In 2017, FactCheck Georgia has become a verified signatory of International Fact-Checking Network’s fact-checkers’ code of principles. This international recognition also confirms FactCheck Georgia’s commitments to non-partisanship and fairness; transparency of sources; transparency of funding and organization; transparency of methodology; open and honest corrections.

As for the policy of the organization, GRASS is non-partisan and with its activities, it only aims to benefit the public interests. GRASS as a whole and FactCheck Georgia, in particular, do not advocate for any political party or candidate. Nonpartisanship is one of the major requirements applied to job candidates during the selection process. In addition, if any member of the organization will decide to join or advocate for any political organization, it automatically results in termination of the labor agreement and he/she is dismissed from GRASS. In several cases, particular members of FactCheck Georgia left the project in pursuant of a political career. Their membership at FactCheck Georgia was suspended prior to their engagement in political activities.   

In the course of research, FactCheck experts examine multiple open sources as well as interview different public figures and experts from various fields. Another cornerstone of our research process comprises the use of public information requested from government agencies as well as other local and international stakeholders. FactCheck Georgia has created a database on its web-page, which stores all the public information requested from our side and submitted from the state agencies (https://factcheck.ge/ka/page/database).

In research, FactCheck experts use the most reliable sources of information in order to determine the accuracy of a fact-checkable statement. These include, but are not limited to the international or local reports, expert analysis, data of reliable research institutions etc. In the first instance, provided sources are explicitly mentioned in the article (for example: “according to The World Bank data”; “the data from the National Statistics Office of Georgia” etc.) In addition, a hyperlink is attached to each source of information. In doing so, readers can check the accuracy of the provided data directly by clicking on the hyperlink.

Finally, the source of the statement or claim, should it be in the form of video or text, is also attached to each article.  

Hyperlinks are regularly used and they redirect readers to relevant and credible sources.

Reports and expert analysis mostly dominate the fact-checking processes.

Internationally recognized data sources are mainly used to fact-check.

Every source of the statement or claim is attached to the bottom of the articles.

GRASS publicly lists sources of funding for each project, including for FactCheck, on its web-page.

See: http://grass.org.ge/en/projects/

FactCheck Georgia places the badges of the project donor organizations on its web-page:

See: http://factcheck.ge/en/

They list all the contributions they got from international NGOs and governments. It is very rare among fact-checkers to be that transparent. I think this should be very appreciated.

About FactCheck: https://factcheck.ge/en/chven-shesaxeb

FactCheck Team: https://factcheck.ge/en/chven-shesaxeb/team (please click on the names for biographies)

GRASS Team: https://grass.org.ge/en/grass-is-gundi/our-team

GRASS Founders: https://grass.org.ge/en/grass-is-gundi/damphudzneblebi

GRASS Board: https://grass.org.ge/en/grass-is-gundi/board 

Names and biographies of all the team members and team members of the roof organization GRASS is listed on both websites.

Key corporate actors behind the fact-checking operations are also stated in the links provided.

GRASS contact information: https://grass.org.ge/en/kontaqti

FactCheck contact information: https://factcheck.ge/en/contact  

They have a visible contact module in their web site and it is effective.

FactCheck Methodology: https://bit.ly/2UTboPv  

Please find attached the guideline document below:                          

Their guideline seems to be satisfactory and in accordance with IFCN's code of principles.

Their work seems to be in accordance with their guideline.

Their methodology and evaluation methods can be observed in their fact-checks.

Each article has a comment section, where readers can express their claims or opinions about the research - http://factcheck.ge/en/;

- Readers can also send their claims through contact section of the project web-page, which allows them to directly send their message to the project team - https://factcheck.ge/en/contact

- FactCheck offers a service, Check Your Fact, which gives the public an opportunity to verify facts that are of particular interest to them - https://factcheck.ge/en/check-your-fact

- Other than FactCheck web-page, readers submit their claims and opinions through project’s Facebook page:

See FactCheck Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Factcheck.ge/?fref=ts

See GRASS Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/grassgrouporg/?fref=ts  

There are multiple channels for readers to send their requests for fact-checks and comments. It seems very visible and easy to use. Also, it is available in multiple platforms.

Correction policy is part of the project’s methodology. Particularly, FactCheck Georgia allows for the possibility that a mistake can occur in its work. Therefore, in the case politicians or citizens disagree with particular research and judgment, FactCheck Georgia urges them to send relevant argumentation in a written form. Received proofs are closely examined by the FactCheck board in due time and in the event of their validity, research, as well as the verdict, is revised or corrected accordingly.

In the case, if a significant piece of information is added to the research/article, but the addition does not lead to a change of the verdict, we revise our article; however, if the added piece of information alters the issued verdict the article is corrected. This practice serves the purpose of ensuring maximum objectivity and political impartiality in FactCheck’s work.

See FactCheck’s Methodology: http://factcheck.ge/en/methodology/  

Efforts of organizatiion satisfactory in terms of their accordance with methodology and ethics in terms of editorial notes created. They explained their ratio in a fair way while correcting the material they have created.

1. https://bit.ly/2FBP87o

Editor’s Note: The first version of this article was published in February 2019. In that article, we made an emphasis on the number of deaths alone because in his statement, Kakha Kaladze mostly compared the nominal figures. However, upon the suggestion of a reader, we acknowledged that the mortality rate analysis is necessary for a comprehensive illustration of the reality and a comparison of the number of deaths alone is not sufficient. In accordance with the Council of Europe’s practice, the mortality rate in prisons is measured per 10,000 inmates which is now added in the updated version of this article. As this component has been introduced in our analysis, FactCheck’s verdict changed accordingly and now Kakha Kaladze’s statement is HALF TRUE instead of previous MOSTLY TRUE.

2. https://bit.ly/2HJZlkH

Editor’s Note: Initial version of the article was published on 19 January 2019. Initially, we assumed that the politician compared 2013 data, as the copies of the educational base were not available before. Besides, we assumed that in his statement he referred to students, whose status was terminated due to financial debt. Following the publishing of the article, Mr. Ratiani (author of the statement) contacted and told us that he made his judgment based on the 2012 data. In addition, in his statement, he referred to all students, whose status was terminated regardless of the cause for termination. As a result, due to unavailability of sufficient data for 2012, the verdict – Mostly False was changed with Without Verdict.  

The applicant organization doesn't have a public page listing all corrections made by them after a story is published. However the examples they gave regarding corrections are satisfactory in terms of the form and the methodology.