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Information Center of Mtskheta-Mtianeti Requests Guarantees of Inviolability

June 1, 2012
Information Center of Mtskheta-Mtianeti (www.icmm.ge), being the only independent regional media-outlet in Mtskheta-Mtianeti region, requests guarantees of inviolability due to uninvestigated incident of May 20.

ICMM appeals to the Inter-Institutional Commission of Security Council of Georgia to ensure safe environment for journalists to cover violations during pre-election period in the regions of Georgia.

ICMM appeals to human rights and media organizations, diplomatic corps accredited in Georgia to demand the Government of Georgia to start prompt and unbiased investigation of the May 20incident in Tianeti police office; to guarantee safe environment for journalists’ activities and respond to each fact of oppression on regional journalists during the pre-election period.

Reportedly, on May 20, Tianeti district police officers, under supervision of deputy head of local police department Mamuka Shalamberidze, detained head of ICMM, journalist Gela Mtivlishvili when he was implementing his professional activities. The journalist had arrived in Tianeti to prepare news story about the oppression on Georgian Dream’s supporters. Police officers forcibly dragged the journalist into the district police office; Mamuka Shalamberidze hit him in the abdomen and head, seized video-camera and erased photo and video footage of the incident from it. After the detention, before police officers seized the cell-phone from the journalist, he managed to inform a friend about the incident. Mtivlishvili was arbitrarily detained during one hour. Deputy Head of the police office told him he was detained for the resistance to police officers. Despite categorical demands of the journalist, he was not allowed to call a lawyer and to drink water. As a result of nervous collapse, journalist felt bad and asked police officers to call doctor. Initially they refused but having seen the journalist was getting worse, they called Tianeti district medical emergency brigade. Before doctors entered the police office, Shalamberidze, having received the instruction from the MIA to immediately release the journalist forcibly took Mtivlishvili out of the building without having told him he was free and could leave. In front of the police office, the journalist fainted; emergency brigade took him to Tianeti medical center where he was provided with medical assistance. According to the doctor’s conclusion, Mtivlishvili had bruise on the head and signs of brain concussion. The journalist is still taking medical treatment.

Soon after the journalist was released, head of the Information-Analytic Department of the MIA Shota Utiashvili made irresponsible statement with news agencies without having found out the truth and said that the journalist had broken into the police office and was not leaving it until police officers compelled him to leave the area under force. The information posted on the MIA’s website claims no physical controversy was observed during the incident that is not true. Witnesses confirm that the journalist was arbitrarily detained, that police officers interfered in his professional activities, seized camera and dragged into the police office by force. One of the witnesses Rusudan Sisauri, who is manager of the Georgian Dream’s Tianeti office and was in Mtivlishvili’s car during the incident, made explanation statement with the Public Defender of Georgia. Two more witnesses made testimonies with the Transparency International – Georgia. 

Deputy Head of Tianeti police department Mamuka Shalamberidze told the lawyer of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association that since a strange person was video-recording the police office, police officers approached him to indentify his personality. Gela Mtivlishvili was taken into office for personal identification. He confirmed that they had really seized camera from him. Since Gela Mtivlishvili had nervous stress, they called medical emergency brigade.

On May 21, journalist Gela Mtivlishvili petitioned to Murtaz Zodelava, chief prosecutor of Georgia and requested to investigate the incident; however, the investigation has not started yet.

On May 22, Gela Mtivlishvili petitioned to the MIA and requested recordings of the May 20 incident from video-cameras installed in the entrance and waiting room of the Tianeti police office but he has not received those materials yet despite many appeals.

Additionally, ICMM was informed that Mamuka Shalamberidze continued threats and claimed that unless Mtivlishvili and his journalists stop working in Tianeti district and arrive there to prepare news stories about the intimidation of the Georgian Dream’s supporters, he “will shoot them in the forehead.”

Information Center of Mtskheta-Mtianeti

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