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The Two-Week Information Vacuum Has Begun!

November 9, 2007
Government representatives have not hesitated in making statements “warning” print media about their behavior, even as both TV and radio broadcasting, the main forums for disseminating information in Georgia, has been severely restricted. Levan Bezhuashvili, chairman of Parliament’s Legal Affairs committee, when speaking to journalists stated, “although there are many allegations against the print media, I hope that every editor and journalist will maintain a civil position and recognize that the country really needs stability and objective reporting of current events.”

It will soon become clear if “objectivity” is understood by the government and media in the same way given the current restrictions on media activity. As of this morning, three TV stations— Imedi TV (as well as radio Imedi), Kavkasia and Channel 25— had ceased broadcasting. The newspaper Alia refrained from publishing today and the Media News agency has also gone offline. The only TV channel that is broadcasting is the Georgian Public Broadcaster. The two-week restriction will conclude on November 22nd. November 23rd is the fourth anniversary of the Rose Revolution.

Imedi TV’s status as of yesterday is unclear. Most of the journalists have been unable to contact each other.

The HRC managed to reach Imedi journalist Natia Mikiashvili. Yesterday evening, Rubber bullets struck both her and her cameraman on Baratashvili Bridge. “I asked my cameraman to get some footage on Baratashvili Bridge,” Mikiashvili recalls, “even though there were already very few people there. As we did so, riot police saw us filming, and began to follow us, shooting rubber bullets. We were the only TV crew there and the police were trying to cover our camera lenses so that we could not get footage of anything.”

Natia Mikiashvili says that in the days before November 7th, they had been receiving reports of a possible raid on the television station.

By November 7th, Imedi staff knew that riot police were planning to enter the station that evening. During the demonstrations, Levan Tabidze, a journalist for Imedi, was severely beaten by riot police, who threatened that Tabidze’s injuries were nothing compared to what they were planning to undertake later that evening.

Because of the police’s aggressive attitude, Imedi journalists took the station’s logo off their microphones to continue working. Late that evening, their work was stopped without question for at least two weeks.

Another Imedi journalist, Ana Gochashvili, who was on Imedi premises when riot police stormed the station, says that they were expecting riot police to raid the whole day. “We still had some hope that they would not attack us,” Gochashvili says. “I was in the newsroom when one of our reporters ran in saying that we were surrounded. At that moment, the riot police entered the room. They shouted at us to lie down on the floor and not move. When we asked why they came, they replied, ‘because you are Russian spies, you are highlighting incorrect information, you want turmoil in Georgia’. Nobody was beaten, but they took our mobiles and then took us in the yard and let us out from the back door of the station.”

The methods used to stop the TV station Kavkasia were different, as authorities blocked their broadcasts from their TV tower. According to Davit Akubardia, Kavkasia’s station director, a well-known businessman came to him and offered him a deal. “I am not naming who yet,” Akubardia says, “but a very famous businessman came to me and told that if I stopped broadcasting the news for one week, they would not cut the station entirely. They offered us a lot of money— I mean millions. We refused to accept such an offer. No riot police raided us, but our broadcast was cut from the TV tower. As far as I know, Imedi uses a satellite to broadcast and that’s why the authorities could not stop them in the same way.”

“The main thing that should be clear for everyone is that the law has been breached,” Akubardia continues. “A state of emergency had not been declared yet nor had it been approved by the Parliament. Actually, media should be informed with official letters about restrictions placed on their activities after it is approved by Parliament.  We have a licence that obliges us to inform society about current political events. It is written in laws enacted by this government. As soon as Parliament approves this declaration, I am going to seek legal action.”

Akibardia also mentions that if the government had only targeted Imedi, an argument could have been made that the station was “subjective” and “biased,” requiring closure. Cutting the broadcasts of two stations at the same time, however, undermines the governments own policies and purpose.

As for Imedi radio, it was stopped noiselessly. According to Lela Gamechava, an employee at the radio station, the broadcast was suddenly blocked three minutes before Imedi TV was taken off the air. There were eight people in the radio building, who they closed the office and left the premises. “We were afraid that they might break the equipment,” Gabechava says. “When we were leaving, we heard terrible noises.” It’s unclear when the newspaper Alia will be published again and what will they write at that time. Alia journalist Keti Khatiashvili says that the editorial board is waiting to hear what restrictions and rules the government will place on print media before making a decision.

Eka Kevanishvili, Tbilisi

http://www.myvideo.ge/?video_id=82176

http://www.myvideo.ge/?video_id=82642


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