Public Defender Took Up INFO 9 Journalist’s Case

Nata Dzvelishvili, media.ge

The Public Defender’s office is studying the INFO 9 journalist Ekaterine Dugladze’s case. The statement was posted on the public defender’s official Facebook page.

According to INFO 9 Ekaterine Dugladze’s has been persecuted by a group of individuals. Seven people carrying video cameras keep accompanying her and posing provocative questions. “Ekaterine Dugladze works under heavy psychological pressure,” reads the statement of the INFO 9.

Regional information centers also request investigation of this fact. They petitioned to the Chief Prosecutor of Georgia on July 4. Information Centers of Kakheti, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Adjara, Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti and Shida Kartli call upon the Georgian Public Defender, human rights NGOs to respond to the fact. Besides that, they appeal to the Imereti regional administration and Zestaponi district administration to allow the journalist to enter the district administration office, travel and work in the district without obstacles.

For a week now several individuals, on behalf of Media Group news agency, have been accompanying journalist Ekaterine Dugladze of INFO 9 Zestaponi bureau and keep posing questions about ties with the Georgian Dream coalition. The aforementioned individuals are wearing white T-shirts with Media Group logos and film the journalist with several cameras. They also wear badges of news agency Media Group.
Head of Media Group Inga Jajanidze said she had not instructed anybody to ask questions to the INFO 9 journalist.

Inga Jajanidze confirmed with Media.ge that Bichiko Gnevetadze, one of them who chases Dugladze, is contracted employee of the Media Group.

“He is requested to attract advertisements for the media company but he has not invited any customer yet. I haven’t given him any particular instructions, particularly to ask questions to Dugladze. I have not signed an exclusive contract with him, therefore he is free to work anywhere else too,” said Inga Jajanidze.

Jajanidze added that Media Group has been operating for four years now. The agency is registered at the entrepreneurial registry on an individual entrepreneur Inga Jajanidze. She denied connection with any of the aforementioned individuals except Bichiko Gvenetadze. However, she did not clarify why those people are wearing T-shirts with their logos on.

Ekaterine Dugladze does not them either. “I was informed that they are Kutaisi-based activists of the ruling United National Movement,” Ekaterine Dugladze told Media.ge.

The footage of the INFO 9 shows individuals wearing white T-shirts, calling themselves journalists, asking following questions to Ekaterine Dugladze: “Has Georgian Dream ordered you not to speak with us?” “Is it a prescribed scenario, Ms Eka?” “Has your cameraman been assigned to force you into the car in case you refuse to answer our question?”

Ekaterine Dugladze believes the strangers aim is to provoke the journalist.

“They keep asking absurd questions, and don’t’ even listen to the answers, they aim to irritate me. The way of giving questions is also absolutely illogical; they keep sticking microphone into mouth. They are trying their best to anger me, incite my protest, so that they could produce and air the material in their favorable way,” Ekaterine Dugladze pointed out.

The INFO 9 journalist suspects the strangers obey instructions of Zestaponi District Governor Givi Arabidze. The INFO 9 camera crew always encounters problems when entering the local administration building. However, individuals calling themselves the Media Group reporters move freely therein.

“Besides, I was informed that when we intended to cover some events in one of the villages, Arabidze called village attorney and warned him he was sending journalists to the village. Later, this very team of Media Group arrived there,” Ekaterine Dugladze told Media.ge.

She added that as soon as INFO 9 camera crew appears in Zestaponi, Media Group reporters arrive at the place. Edited video-interview with Ekaterine Dugladze was published on itv.ge . “Even my voice was changed,” Dugladze said.

INFO 9 belongs to TV Company Channel 9 of Bidzina Ivanishvili’s wife.
INFO 9 believes their journalist is subjected to psychological oppression and her professional activities are illegally interfered that is punished under the Criminal Code of Georgia. The news agency is demanding the launch of the investigation into the case.

Source: http://www.media.ge/en/stories/publicdefendertostudyinf
http://www.media.ge/en/stories/ekaterinedugladzesuppose