“Don’t attack me or I’ll attack you!’’ Public Figure threatens the Journalists

 
“Take this article out... don’t attack me at all, or I’ll attack you...’’ wrote Otar Kovziridze in an email to the journalist, Ilia Martkopishvili. Otar Kovziridze is an activist for the Nationalist Party and works at the Dedoplistskaro municipality government. Kovziridze assures that his words don’t include any form of threatening. Though, he can’t explain what gives him right to demand the cancellation of material posted on the journalist’s blog.

-    Don’t attack you? What do you mean?

-    Just don’t mess with me. I have my own life, I don’t bother them and therefore they shouldn’t bother me. They have insulted me calling me a vagrant.

-    What kind of a post do you hold in the municipality?

-    I’m in charge of the computer technologies.

-    So you are the public worker? Don’t you think that this kind of a letter is an oppression against the journalist?

-    I didn’t think about any kind of oppression when I sent a letter. It is also just as simple to make a page on the internet and write about him.

-    Do you know that the legislation obligates public workers to endure such criticism?

-    So you mean I should say nothing when things like that are written about me? Why can’t they just leave me alone?’’

When Martkoplishvili received this letter from Kovziridze, he was being threatened by the Nationalist Movement’s Dedoplistskaro coordinator, George Papuashvili.

“I don’t know George Papuashvili personally. During the pre-election period I mentioned him couple of times in my materials that he subsequently was frustrated by. Last week I published a couple of articles where I wrote that the young people from the ruling party simultaneously received various jobs using their circle of friends and acquaintances. Papuashvili was angry with me for this and threatened that when he catches me, he will break my head. He added that this is not just a verbal threat and that he will definitely act on such,’’ said Ilia Martkoplishvili.

According to Lia Khuroshvili, the Kakheti Office of the Human Rights Center’s lawyer, public figures are openly aggressive towards journalists after local government elections. Sometimes, they even commit crimes against them.

“Some municipality directors think that spreading municipality facts to the whole Republic is just “bitching’’. The region with the most of this kind of situation is Dedoplistskaro. This is because the civil sector practically doesn’t exist there.’’ states Khuroshvili. He recalls the Dedoplistskaro incident of July 3 when Dedoplistskaro Municipality Director, Nikoloz Shanshiashvili, damaged the video camera of journalist, Gela Mtivlishvili, while he was performing his professional duties.

“When the region’s governor treats journalists in this fashion and nobody asks him for an explanation, it only reinforces such behavior. Government officials are following this example and are attempting to intimidate journalists as well. Since 2004, only one attack of ten on journalists has been investigated. The single instance was the assault of radio ’’Hereti’’ director, Ramaz Samkharadze, by former Parliament member, David Kapanadze. After being found guilty by the Court, Kapanadze was appointed to the position of Chamber of Control Administration Director. People can physically assault journalists, fight freedom of speech and still be appointed and promoted on their jobs,’’ said Khuroshvili.

According to the journalist, Gela Mtivlishvili, the situation concerning the availability of the public information has become even worse, “After the elections, we either don’t receive information or receive a rough version after what the law says is an appropriate amount of time has passed for them to submit such to us.’’

“Often, people holding top positions in their regions refuse to  comment at all on matters. This doesn’t help their self-image and they send us to their press secretaries. In all the offices of the Kakheti Municipality there are two or three specialists working with the media. However, they don’t really do anything and simply receive a monthly salary of 400 GEL drawn from the local budget. Some of them are just messing around the entire day on “Odnoklasniki”. Some don’t even go to work, and most important, they can never answer our questions. They are unaware of information that should be necessary to their position,’’ says Mtivlishvili.

The Kakheti Governor’s Administration does not agree with this. According to the Governor’s Press Secretary, all their input is directed to an easily accessible environment for journalists.

’’We always try to answer all their questions objectively and completely. Kakheti is making lots of progress in this respect. The region has leadership which is especially cooperative with journalists and the journalists themselves acknowledge this fact. But to speak honestly, there are journalists who try to work without addressing the press services. This is not beneficial to creating a positive and mutual cooperation,’’ stated Khatuna Guliashvilis.