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Terror Is on the Way

September 27, 2005

Terror Is on the Way

A correspondent of the Georgian newspaper “Akhali Versia” (“New Version”) and “Khalkhis Gazeti” (“People’s News-Paper”) Saba Tsitsikashvili was assaulted by three unknown persons. The incident took place near the Railway Station in Gori on the 5th of September. Physically injured, Tsitsikashvili was taken to the hospital.
Supposedly, the attack came as an answer to the journalist’s recent works, as the aggressors did not steal anything from him. 2 days before the incident, an unknown person also attacked Tsitsikashvili, by throwing stones at him.

Saba Tsitsikashvili has 2 years of work experience in the field of journalism. He does not usually write about harmless topics or about things that the government likes to hear. Tsitsikashvili owns materials uncovering illegal activities of the Governor of Shida Kartli. By the order of Mikheil Kareli, the local government took away land from the peasants and used their harvest for private purposes. Supposedly, the attack sustained by the journalist was an answer on his recent works. Tsitsikashvili is accusing the government of organizing the assault. “I have reasons to think that the attack was organized by the Governor or by the head of the region. I work on issues relating to the activities of the government in the field of budget and contraband. In almost every field I was working in, I have found the trace of Kareli’s financial interests.”

The attitude of the local government towards Tsitsikashvili was always cynical. About 2 months earlier, the governor openly attacked the journalist in the village of Uplistsikhe. Kareli’s bodyguard dragged Tsitsikashvili out of his car and did not allow him to enter the villages situated near Gori. The witnesses of this accident have written letters to the Ombudsman.

Threats against Tsitsikashvili from Kareli and those surrounding him were issued quite often. Journalist says that the chief of the Legal Department of the local government, Revaz Gogiashvili, was usually involved in them as well. According to the news agency “GHN”, Gogiashvili disliked the fact that Tsitsikashvili was working on the issue of the “Dzevera” company. “Dzevera’s” owner is Gogiashvili’s uncle - Omar Bukhradze. “Dzevera” Ltd, which is based on Soviet machinery and equipment, owes land in the region. Journalist investigation showed that Bukhreidze announced “Dzevera” bankrupt and bought it again for a very low price.

Kareli himself visited Tsitsikashvili in the Prosecutor’s Office, where he was taken after hospital. He accused the police of inactivity and connected the case of the journalist to the difficult criminal situation in Gori. On the other day, Kareli phoned Tsitsikashvili and offered him to pay all medical expenses, but the journalist refused.

In spite of the blackmails and threats, Tsitsikashvili will continue working after he is back to health. “Journalists have to continue their work and must not be afraid of anything. I love my job and I will go on with it,”- said Tsitsikashvili.

Rusudan Jamaspishvili

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