Police Officer Assaulted Film-Crew of Info 9

Film crew of the Info 9 was physically assaulted in the village Tsedisi. Journalist Rezo Nadiradze and the cameraman Lekso Alexidze arrived in the village to cover the protest assembly. Tsedisi residents intended to block the road in request of drinking water. Suddenly, car with state number SOV 001 arrived in the village.

A person from a car hit the microphone. When the reporter inquired reason of his behavior, second person from the car physically assaulted the journalist and cameraman. The incident was video-recorded.

Villagers also interfered in the conflict and strangers were forced to leave Tsedisi.

Tsedisi residents recognized people in the car. One of them was police officer Samson Vanishvili from the neighboring village Ateni, who hindered professional activities of journalists.

Info 9’s journalist Nadiradze recalled that the village visitors acted aggressively; initially they hit the microphone and then started verbal and physical abuse of journalists.

Nadiradze said second film crew of "Info 9" visited Vanishvilis family in Ateni village and family members confirmed that Samson Vanishvili is a police officer.

Journalists found out that the father and son Otar Vanishvili and Samson Vanishvili participated in the incident. They said that the father started to provoke and a policeman's son was more aggressive.

Recently, journalists have been insulted in Gori district almost every week. According to the Young Lawyers’ Association, this year there are 8 cases of interference in the journalistic activities but none of them were investigated yet.

Source: Goga Aptsiauri, Gori, Media.ge