Human Rights Center Alarmed by Sudden Sealing of Media Holding “MediaPalitra” Units

Human Rights Center expresses concern over the sudden inspection of MediaPalitra units and sealing of Publishing House Palitra L and the storehouses of the media holding.

The media outlets of Mediapalitra – ratio Palitra, Palitra TV and interpressnews operatively and objectively covered the disruption of protest on May 26th by the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) Special Forces. The journalists of the corresponding media outlets risked their lives while collecting information at that night. The members of Special Forces physically assaulted the interpressnews correspondent Darejan Paatashvili and broke the camera of Palitra Tv operator Avtandil Surmava. The members of Special Forces beat up the correspondent of the news agency interpressnews Malkhaz Chkadua, seized his documents, detained him and transferred him to the Dighomi Police Department. The journalist had been detained for half an hour and had been verbally assaulted.

The above mentioned media outlets and other media means of Media Palitra continued to work in emergency state after the May 26th developments and provided objective information regarding the sufferers and missing persons of May 26th. They disseminated the position and protest statements of civil society the deficit of which was noted in the Public Broadcaster and other government controlled TV channels.

Therefore, Human Rights Center considers that the sudden attack of Revenue Service is an attempt of punitive act.

Though the Revenue Service states that the inspection was scheduled and it will not hinder the functioning of MediaPalitra Ltds the interpressnews crew took scenes where it is clear that the Publishing House Palitra L and the storehouses are sealed.

Human Rights Center calls on the President and government of Georgia to stop oppressing free speech and independent media; give MediaPalitra a chance to work normally.

Human Rights Center addresses the diplomatic corpus accredited in Georgia and international organizations to observe the process of Mediapalitra’s inspection and pressure the government which might have intended to weaken and disrupt this media holding.

The media outlets of Human Rights center humanrights.ge and HRIDC.TV express solidarity to MediaPalitra, its colleagues and hopes that the protest of journalists and civil society will stop government’s next violent provocation against free speech.

Human Rights Center