Officials Are Banned to Speak Up

Ozurgeti district governor bans employees of the district administration to communicate with journalists. Employees of the district administration confirmed the information with the Human Rights Center.

“The district governor categorically banned us to communicate with journalists and to give any comments to them. If we do not obey the order, we will be fired,” said one of the employees of Ozurgeti district administration who asked us to keep his name anonymous. Otherwise, he will be fired.

District governor Avto Mekvabishvili does not confirm the information and states every person has right to express his/her opinion freely and decide to make comment on or not.

“Please, let us finish talking on this issue,” said the district administration.

Head of Ozurgeti district office of the Young Lawyers Association Tamaz Trapaidze stated that prohibition of making any kind of comments or interviews is restriction of the constitutional right of a person to freedom of expression and opinion.

It is not first fact when employees of Ozurgeti district administration avoid comments with the journalists. 

Shorena Ghlonti, Guria