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Nationalists Raided Journalists in Kakheti

June 16, 2006

Nationalists Raided Journalists in Kakheti

Yesterday, in Signagi, the NGOs and the media that was to cover a protest of the local ‘Lawyers Developing Center’ NGO, were raided by the members of the Nationalists Party in the Signagi Region under the instructions of MP Nugzar Abulashvili. Having insulting the journalists both verbally and physically, they were raided and taken away cameras, microphones, dictaphones, and video tapes. The journalists Roman Kevkhishvili, Zviad Ruadze and Gela Jaliashviliv were seriously injured.

On June 15th, a protest arranged by the ‘Lawyers Development Center’ that should have been started in Anaga and ended in front of the Nationalists Office in Signagi, aimed at protesting terror upon the local self-government from the side of  Nugzar Abulashvili, the Head of the Nationalists Party in the Signagi region.

The organizer of the protest- Tinatin Pkhovelishvili states:” We planned to start from Anada administration and to carry out a coffin to Signagi through the villages -Vakiri and Sakobo. The participants of the protest should have gathered in front of the Abulashvili’s Office, where we planned to say our last word to the self-government that died as a result of terror… Intimidation upon the participants launched a few days before the protest. The people were threatened to be arrested. “Abulashvili said that all those who appear at the protest would be punished. He assured to have a green light from the president, thus, he threatened to arrest everybody”. It should be mentioned that Abulashvili often manipulates with the name of the president. A lot has been written and said about this issue. Eventually, we decided to make our president hear our voices by this protest. However, we were severely raided. It was Nugzar Abulashvili who planned a break- up of the protest. We require his arrest”.

According to Roman Kevkhishvili, the journalist with ‘Tanamgzavri’ broadcasting company, the Signagi police officers in uniforms stopped him while entering the town. The journalist Gela Mtivlishvili, the coordinator at the Human Rights Information and Documentation Center neared him as well. “The conversation with the police officers - Besik Pkhovelishvili and Iago Kochlamazashvili lasted for 10 minutes. Gela demanded from the police officers an explanation why we were stopped; however, they failed to do it. Soon, we saw a bus and some cars overcrowded with people shouting: “You can do nothing with Abulashvili, we are Kiziks without Master” who directly attacked us. I cannot describe what happened there. We were abused verbally and beaten severely. The crowd assaulted us trying to take our equipments away. Then, they assailed Gela and broke his camera. We could not realize who was beating. We attempted to explain that we only wanted to cover the protest and if they and Abulashvili had something to say we were ready to write about their positions. However, they threatened us-”You will be punished if you say something bad about Abulashvili”, states Roman Kevkhishvili, who was badly injured in his chest and stomach. He also has beating prints on his face.

Beating of the journalists continued for 40 minutes. The police officers were standing nearby looking at it. The journalists asked them for help, however, in vain. We addressed Temur Anjaparidze, the chief of the Police Department for several times as well, but unsuccessfully. It was too late when the police officers decided to assist us. The only help they provided us was to take the violators Ioseb Nanobashvili, the acting head of the Vakiri Administration who damaged our equipment and the resident of the same village Jemal Demetrashvili to the Nationalists Office instead of the Police Department to bring them under responsibility for their acts.

The journalists being abused both physically and morally moved to the Signagi Police Department where we gave an investigator our testimony evidences and were announced to be victims of violation. Later, the Presidential Representative in the Kakheti Region -Petre Tsiskarishvili, Teimur Anjaparidze, the Chief of the Police Department, Tamaz  Tsabutashvili , the District Prosecutor, and the representatives the Prosecutors’ General Office, the Ombudsman, the Young Lawyers Association, the Human Right Information and Documentation Center and Nugzar Abulashvili appeared at the police department.

MP Abulashvili denied his links with the raid, though; he could not prove his statement. Some of the citizens standing in front of the police department alleged that they were discouraged from joining the protest supporting the self-government by the name of Abulashvili. The law enforcers left their statements without any responses. (?)

“The journalists have always been oppressed in Kakheti. A great number of journalists has been harassed here. However, nothing like this occurred here during a day time, especially, with the presence of the police officers. The government should respond to the fact. Those who harass and violate the rights of the journalists must be sufficiently punished and a precedent of punishment of the violator should be established”, told us Khatuna Guliashvili, the correspondent with the ‘Mze’ broadcasting company. The representatives of the Young Lawyers Association also expressed their concern in regard with the issue.” A criminal case must be launched not only for abusing journalists but for the illegal acts from the side of the ruling party that did not permit to hold a peaceful protest and used force to combat it”, stated  Lela Taliuri, the head of the Young Lawyers Association Telavi Office. 

“Common people will not be able to organize a raid of the protest without a hope to be supported. Everybody was aware when and where to stop the journalists. Transportation of the Nationalists has also been arranged beforehand.  It was a well-planned attack on the journalists in order Nugzar Abulashvil,i and the Nationalists in general, to avert a shame and a coffin not to be brought in front of the office”, states Zhana Didebashvili, the correspondent with the Kakheti Branch of ‘Imedi’ broadcasting company.

The Kakheti governor condemned the fact and demanded an immediate investigation of it and a punishment of those who are responsible for the violation. “It is a shameful fact .We will never allow disorder to take place again. Hooliganism and politics should not be mixed here any more. We will find out everybody who participated in a provocation and they will be severely punished. We will soon find out who was a provoker of a raid. Everybody will be put under responsibility”, stated Petre Tsiskarishvili. 

According to Aleksandre Onanashvili, the Chief of the Signagi Police Department, attackers- Ioseb Nanobashvili, Bacho Munjishvili and Jemal Demetrashvili have been detained. “With regard of MP Abulashvili’s links with the raid, I can say that some of the testimonies assures it to be truth. However, the director of the Vakiri Secondary School told the investigation that he participated in the protest in order to support Abulashvuili and opposed the NGOs and the journalists”, said Aleksandre Onanashvili.

The NGOs demand a criminal case to be started against both violators who carried out illegal raid and the organizers.

Gela Mtivlishvili from Kakheti  

 

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