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Rare Occasion – MIA Sacked Senior Police Officers for Insulting a Journalist

February 21, 2012

Maka Malakmadze, Adjara

Head of Adjara Patrol Police Department Jony Bakuridze insulted journalist of the TV-Channel 25 Teona Turmanidze and seized a camera. Several hours later, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia sacked Bakuridze.

On February 16, film-crew of the news-program Matsne of the TV-25 was covering the activities of patrol police officers in the corner of Rustaveli and Gamsakhurdia Streets in Batumi, when they fined drivers optionally. At that moment, chief patrol police officer Jony Bakuridze interfered in the professional activities of the journalist Teona Turmanidze.

Teona Turmanidze, journalist of the TV 25: “I was going to the office of the Public Assembly in Rustaveli Street # 11. The taxi was moving along Gamsakhurdia Street. Our and several other drivers were fined with 50GE because they did not obey the traffic sign, which has not been working for two years already. Several patrol police crews were deployed in the area and selected drivers to fine. I mean, drivers of several cars, who also breached the traffic rule, were not fined at all. We started to video-record the fact and intended to interview a driver who protested the fact. Suddenly, Jony Bakuridze approached the cameraman and seized the camera. Then he started shouting at us to leave the area. Finally he started cursing. Bakuridze put the camera into the patrol police car. I opened the door and took the camera. At that moment, three police officers grabbed me, twisted my arms and seized the camera. 10-15 minutes later they returned the camera after a phone call.”

The TV 25 reported to the head of the MIA press center Zurab Gvenetadze about the incident. Later, the MIA spread information on its official website http://www.police.ge/: “General inspection of the MIA studied the February 16 incident between Jony Bakuridze, head of Adjara patrol police department and journalist of the TV-Company TV 25 in Batumi. On the basis of materials of general Inspection it was concluded that Jony Bakuradze committed an inappropriate behavior and therefore, he was dismissed from the position. The Ministry of Internal Affairs would like to apologize to the journalist of TV-25 for the above mentioned fact and reiterates its respect towards their activities.”

Chairman of the Adjara office of the Georgian Young Lawyers Association Parmen Jalagonia stated: “Supposedly, the police officer breached Article 154 (interference in journalistic activities) and Article 333 (abuse of power) of the Criminal Code of Georgia. The abovementioned norms envisage both fine and imprisonment.”

Public Defender’s representative in Batumi Giorgi Charkviani said “Our office started to study the incident. As soon as we have conclusion regarding the fact, the Public Defender will comment on it.”

On the day of incident Teona Turmanidze lodged a suit at the Adjara Prosecutor’s Office.

The Human Rights Center tried to get in touch with Jony Bakuridze several times but he did not answer phone calls. In his interview with the Netgazeti he said: “I did not curse her. I do not have controversy with anybody. I am not going to revenge anybody. Just the opposite, she insulted me. I did not seize a camera from her. Police officer was writing a protocol for a driver and she wanted to video-record it. If anybody wants to ask me question, I am here 24 hours and can apply to me. I do not have any controversy with anybody. If a person is grown up in a family, she must be polite. They should not abuse their position.”

It is interesting that there are a lot of facts of interference in the professional activities of journalists both in Tbilisi and in various regions of Georgia. However, offenders in similar incidents are rarely punished; furthermore, in most cases police and prosecutor’s office do not react on them. It is strange why the MIA decided to punish this particular officer. Maybe we will learn the truth in future.

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