Journalists Verbally and Physically Abused in Ditsi Village

Goga Aptsiauri, Gori, Media.ge

Journalist and cameraman of the news agency INFO 9 were verbally and physically abused in the village of Ditsi, Gori district. The camera crew was visiting the village to cover the water supply issue.

Journalist Shorena Gongladze asked Zurab Bolashvili, the village attorney, to make comment on the issue. Initially he agreed but later, having noticed the INFO 9 logo he required the camera crew to switch the camera off and immediately leave the area.

It is noteworthy that the village administration and the local police department are located in the same building. The policemen standing nearby were demanding the cameraman to quit filming military equipments in the yard. But the footage shows that he cameraman was not trying to film the military equipments. Soon, villagers in plain clothes assisted the village governor and verbally and physically abused the INFO 9 camera crew. The incident occurred in front of the policemen who did not even try to interfere.

Cameraman Tornike Tibilashvili recalled something was hit in his head during the incident and received minor injury. The video camera is damaged too. Despite physical abuse he did not switch the camera off and managed to save the footage.

“I was filming and trying to record Gemgebeli but the latter ordered me to switch the camera off and leave the area. So, locals became aggressive and started threatening us with breaking our hands and heads,” said Tornike Tibilashvili.

The INFO 9 reporter Shorena Gongladze alleges the village attorney threatened her. The journalist appeals to Public Defender, law enforcement bodies and NGOs to respond to this case.

“In a private conversation Gamgebeli said we would never manage to visit the village in future and if we dare to arrive there, we would never leave it. We perceived this threat was real but we will arrive there if needed,” Shorena Gongladze said.

Ditsi village attorney Zurab Brolashvili alleges the camera crew broke into his working room and acted in a provocative manner. No violence has been exerted on journalists, he said, but the footage speaks of something different.

Reporting to Media.ge Zurab Bolashvili said: “They broke in without saying a word and started filming. Moreover they entered the police office that is prohibited. No one abused them. They were trying to be provocative.”

The footage of the incident on INFO 9 website:
http://info9.ge/?l=G&m=1000&id=288

For the last few months, journalists have been subjected to oppression several times in Shida Kartli region and many cases of interference into their professional activities were observed. Notwithstanding media and non-governmental sector requests for the response and punishment of perpetrators, no one has been held responsible for the abuse against media representatives. The trend of abusing journalists in the regions is still on.

Journalists were abused on June 26 in Mereti village too. The confrontation took place between Bidzina Ivanishvili and government supporters. Ministry of Interior detained 4 persons who participated in the fistfight. Court sentenced these persons to 10 days of administrative imprisonment for verbal abuse and participation in physical confrontation. Ministry of Interior denied allegations about police officers participation in Mereti incident.

Original text