Why Is ‘Trialeti’ Film-Crew Dispersed

Shida Kartli TV and Radio Company ‘Trialeti’ film-crew was physically assaulted by the Governor Mikheil Kareli personal body guards on the mini playground of the village of Shindisi in the Gori Region. Besides that Mikheil Kareli’s people seized a video cassette from the journalists. Regarding the incident Sopiko Rezrichenko, head of the ‘Trialeti’ Information Service stated that they will appeal to the Shida Kartli Prosecutor’s Office against the Governor’s body guards on the 15th September.

As it has become clear the tension between the Governor and the ‘Trialeti’ has commercial nature. By the way neither Rezrichenko, head of the Information Service keeps the fact in secret. According to her Mikheil Kareli was irritated by the question the journalist asked about not having apportioned the money to the ‘Trialeti’ for the Administrative Board’s ad service.

As Sofiko Rezrichenko, head of the Information Service within TV Company ‘Trialeti’ the incident happened in the village of Shindisi in the Gori Region on the 14th September. On That day Shida Kartli Governor, Mikheil Kareli and the Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili were attending the opening ceremony of the playground in the village.

Rezrichenko says that the journalist for the TV Company ‘Trialeti’, Maia Kharaishvili, asked Kareli about the money which must be paid to their company for the pre-electoral advertisements.

“Kareli demanded not to show the topic on TV. The journalists and the cameramen-Soso Mchedlishvili and Valeri Barishvili, having refused the demand, were physically assaulted by the Governor’s body guard. They were also seized of the cassettes.”-said Rezrichenko.

As one of the employees at the ‘Trialeti’ stated in his conversation with the ‘Human Rights Information and Documentation Centre’ Gia Zanardia, Kareli Region Councilor has dealings with this incident as well. Initially the ‘Trialeti’ journalists demanded the money from the Kareli Region Councilor Gia Zanardia for ad service. He refused to pay because he had been ordered by Mikheil Kareli. “Mikheil Kareli told me to order an advertisement to you but not to pay afterwards”-Zanardia said.

Then ‘Trialeti’ board sent Maia Kharaishvili to the Governor Mikheil Kareli to find out if Zanardia’s statement was right. Initially Mikheil Kareli told in his interview with the ‘Trialeti’ similar information was nonsense. But later Kareli changed his mind and asked the cameraman to delete the interview-according to Sofiko Rezrichenko. Having been refused by the journalists and the operator Kareli sent his guard to them. The governor could make his wish come true and got hold of the cassette as well. The governor Kareli and his men managed it by using the physical power.

Representatives of the Public Defender also got interested into the incident. By the way when in March, 2006 former journalists opposed the ‘Trialeti’ board, it was mentioned that MP Badri Nanetashvili, that-time TV Company owner used to send the journalists to blackmail the politicians and the businessmen and thus he made those people to apportion quite a large sum on the ‘Trialeti’ account. Former journalists sent a letter to the Public Defender pointing out the incompatibility of MP Nanetashvili’s power with his business affairs. Procedural Committee within the Parliament ceased his parliamentary power regarding the Public defender’s conclusion.

Saba Tsitsikashvili, Gori