Revaz Sakevarishvili to appeal to the Charter of Journalistic Ethics

Former Chief Editor of Forbes Georgia Revaz Sakevarishvili circulated a statement on 6 April.  According to him, Bidzina Ivanishvili’s interview published in Forbes Georgia April issue has been “chopped” and the published material is the “distorted version “of taken by Sakevarishvili himself from Bidzina Ivanishvili in mid-March.

Sakevarishvili told media.ge that he is still checking the details of differences between the interview he recorded and the material that has been published in the magazine.  According to him, before he left the post Ivanishvili’s interview was bigger than what has been published.  “Questions have been aligned in a different order, which has of course changed the context.  They have also erased the questions related to Ivanishvili’s business activities.  For example how he started his business in Russia,” Sakevarishvili told media.ge.

Former Chief Editor explains the given fact (publishing of an interview in the magazine in a way that does not coincide with the author’s version) by censorship and harsh violation of free journalistic activity by the Forbes Georgia publishing Company Media Partners founders.

Rezo Sakevarishvili has already sent the coinciding letter to the Forbes Head Office inNew York; the Editors and Manager he has had contacts with.  Former Chief Editor of Forbes Georgia is waiting for the responses from them.  According to Sakevarishvili, he will “use all the legal ways for legal, ethical and professional assessment of the activities conducted by Forbes Georgia founders.”  At the given stage Sakevarishvili plans to appeal to the Charter of Journalistic Ethics of Georgia.

Revaz Sakevarishvili made the statement about resigning from the post of Chief Editor of Forbes Georgia on 27 March, claiming interference with editorial policy and attempt of censorship by the Media Partners founder Gagig Agazaryan.  In response, on 28 March, Media Partners, publisher of the Forbes Georgia Magazine, clarified that Sakevarishvili did not resign from the post of Forbes Georgia Chief Editor himself, but was dismissed by Media Partners due to plagiarism. 

Media.ge