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Supervision Service officials Assault Journalist

August 5, 2010
Maka Malaymadze, Adjara

Officials from the Batumi Supervision Service physically assaulted journalist, Emzar Diasamidze. The incident took place on July 30, at the territory of the Boni market. The reason for the fighting was simply due to a request concerning job confirmation documentation. Diasamidze was taken to the police department. Police denies this fact.

The supervision service has been creating obstacles against the external markets. According to the merchants, they’ve been acting very rude.

“I was not performing the duties of a journalist at the Boni market. I came from the village on July 30. I brought some vegetables with me that I was going to sell. A person dressed in civilian clothes approached me and asked to leave. I asked him to show official documentation, but he refused. I said, either show me a document that you are actually representing the supervision service, or leave me alone. He suddenly attacked me both verbally and physically.”

The director of Batumi City Supervision Service, David Davitadze, sees this instance as quite unexpected, “This seems to be an extraordinary situation. I know Mr. Emzar and I don’t understand why he would make such a statement when we could simply meet and talk. We’ve never had a problem in our relationship.”

The supervision service states that the law prohibits external marketing and every citizen shall obey it. As for the uniform of the service officials, they are not obliged to wear special clothes.
Other merchants from the Boni market talk have discussed the incident but have chosen to remain anonymous. “I saw that this boy was taken by the supervision service official. People are tortured by this service,” said one of the merchants.

Patrol officials present at the Boni market didn’t pay attention to the incident until one of the citizens joined in the fighting. The altercation ended with Emzar Diasamidze and another citizen being taken to 5th department of the police. They were soon thereafter released.

The Human Rights Center contacted the relevant department, specifically the shift director, Oleg Bolkvadze. According to him, this kind of incident never occurred: “My group was on duty that morning at the Boni market territory. Nothing like this has ever been reported. I don’t know about anything such as this.”

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