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Demonstrators Irritated at Journalists and Cameras

May 23, 2011

Supposedly, only “accredited journalists” will cover the ongoing protest demonstration organized by the Public Assembly near the building of the Public Broadcasting.

Leader of the Georgian Party Levan Gachechiladze said he will negotiate with the organizers to grant special accreditations to concrete journalists to cover the demonstration; he said “journalists of only unbiased media-sources will be allowed to cover” their protest.

The Leader of the Georgian Party accused the journalists of the TV-Companies Rustavi 2, Public Broadcasting, Imedi-TV, Real-TV and ITV of being spies of Vano Merabishvili (minister of interior); he said they serve cruelty and called upon the demonstrators to free their territory from journalists.

Demonstrators responded to Levan Gachechiladze’s statement and it caused some incidents. As a result, the TV-Camera of ITV’s correspondent Irakli Khizanishvili was damaged.

The Interpresnews’ correspondent from the demonstration reported that Levan Gachechiladze got irritated with the journalists’ questions and their professional activities in general. The journalists of the above-listed TV-Companies asked why protest demonstrations were held in front of the GPB building, though the latter satisfied their request and released the footage of the protest rallies on live TV.

Irakli Batiashvili, an opposition leader, blamed media representatives in provocations and banned demonstrators to contact journalists.

“Some journalists have even shoulder-straps; they are officers of the MIA and get salaries from them. So, you’d better not contact them,” said Batiashvili.

He appealed to the journalists in the Kostava Avenue to express their astonishment in front of the police station.

It is interesting that demonstrators are aggressive towards those journalists too, who do not represent the above listed TV-Companies. According to Palitra.tv, Maestro-TV gave them the video-materials of the incident near the PB building. However, in the Kostava Avenue, strangers seized the video-cassette from the Palitra.TV’s correspondent.

Alarming news reported by the journalist Tazo Kupreishvili from the online newspaper “NetGazeti”. According to him, during the incident in the Kostava Avenue Nino Burjanadze’s son Anzor Bitsadze drubbed him in the stomach.

“Netgazeti” reported that the incident occurred when journalist asked comment from Nino Burjanadze about the incident in the Kostava Street.

“You should ask comments from them… over there…you should shoot them,” Burjanadze’s son suggested me and pointed at the police officers. At that moment, he drubbed me in the stomach with the flag-handle though it did not have flag on it,” said Kupreishvili.

Nino Burjanadze also responded to the incident. She said it was accidental mistake resulted from a clash during the demonstration and is very sorry about it.

“If this incident is confirmed, my son will definitely apologize regardless the fact it was accidental mistake or not,” said Burjanadze.

She alleged it could not be a purposeful action against the journalist and added it cannot be justified, even if it is a mistake.

On May 23, the Public Assembly decided to allocate special space to journalists in Kostava Street before the demonstrations renew at 3:00 pm. According to their decision, the territory in front of the stage will be surrounded and only journalists will be allowed to enter the area.

Leader of the Democratic Movement Nino Burjanadze suggested the supporters of the Public Assembly to not interfere in the professional activities of journalists and not to make problems for them,” Burjanadze asked their supporters.

Burjanadze also appealed to journalists and suggested to impartially cover the ongoing situation; they should also protest the blatant interference of the editorial board in their reportages. “Leave such jobs and say that you do not want to work there. After that, believe me, you will become heroes, will get new jobs and honorable place in the society,” Burjanadze told journalists.

On May 23, Maestro TV has released two urgent statements – the first about the journalists’ activities and the second about the principles of the Maestro-TV.
 
“TV-Company Maestro responded to the statements made during the protest demonstrations about media-covering of the ongoing events and states that if the organizers use selective principle and will not allow other media-sources to cover the demonstration, the Maestro-TV, regardless its attitude towards the activities of those TV-Stations, will express solidarity to other Companies and refuse to cover the demonstrations. We think, artificial privileges prevent the Georgian media-sources to protect freedom of word,” statement of the TV-Company Maestro in the Name of Journalists. The Statement is signed by Ilia Kikabidze, the director-general of the Company.

The second statement of the Maestro-TV is as principle as the first one: “Politicians’ statements made for the last few days, as if Maestro-TV will somehow interfere in the ongoing political events, are not true. TV-Company Maestro implements its professional duties and covers the ongoing events only because of increased public interest about the demonstrations and in accordance to the format of the news channel. Maestro-TV is an independent media-outlet and is not going to serve the interests of any political party. We call upon the politicians to stop manipulating with the name of Maestro-TV in their comments and statement.”

According to the Interpresnews and Palitra.TV

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