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Journalistic Activities of the Alioni’s Editor Hindered

September 18, 2012

On September 14, journalistic activities of Nugzar Asatiani, editor of the newspaper Alioni, were hindered. Asatiani spoke about this fact with humanrights.ge

“On September 14, at 7:38 pm I witnessed a conflict across the trading center Modern at the corner of Takaishvili and Anton Nakashidze streets in Ozurgeti. As a journalist I got interested what was going on. Private tax inspectors had arrived at Takaishvili Street and wanted to impose sanction on individual entrepreneur Maka Chania. I took photos and the inspectors got irritated at it. I said I was journalist and explained that I had right to take photos in public space. Despite that, they did not allow me to perform my professional duties. One of the inspectors introduced himself as an inspector from Kutaisi Mirian Nozadze; the second refused to tell his name and threatened me; he tried to seize photo-camera from me. Although others tried to stop him, he managed to strike the camera and damaged it,” Nugzar Asatiani said.

Nugzar Asatiani got in touch with the head of the Georgian Young Lawyers Association’s Ozurgeti office Tamaz Trapaidze and with his support he appealed to the local police station and requested to start investigation on the fact.

Public Relation and Marketing Press-Center of the Revenue Service stated that their inspectors had not insulted the journalist.

Asatiani said maybe those private inspectors did not represent the Revenue Service at all. “Criminal case was already launched. I was interrogated at police. I am going to defend my rights till the end.”

Nino Mshvidobadze, Guria

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