Intimidation of Regional Journalists is becoming large scaled Problem Day by Day

Sozar Subari: “The Government Stimulates the Abusers of Journalists.”

Gela Mtivlishvili

The intimidation of regional journalists is becoming large scaled problem day by day. Regional correspondents are not only insulted verbally but also restricted from implementing their duties, threatened that they will be assaulted, abducted or even killed. Even though all facts of intimidation of regional journalists are publicized and even though the victims apply to the prosecutor’s office with proofs of intimidation, none of the cases have been investigated so far.

Several days ago the editorial staff of the regional newspaper Guria News which covers the region of Guria (a region in the west Georgia) publicized the information that Anton Khundadze, the chairperson of Chokhatauri District Council threatened Nato Gogelia and Giorgi Girkelidze, the journalists of Guria News that they would assaulted. This is because the journalists had published critical articles on Anton Khundadze’s activities.

Ia Mamaladze, the editor-in-chief of the newspaper applied to law enforcers and governmental bodies, local and international human rights organizations with the request to provide security to the journalists.

“The President of Georgia said in one of his TV statements that “the government must be afraid of people and not on the opposite. The government must render accounts to the people and not on the contrary.” We demand that you adhere to these words. We refuse to live in the constant myth of democracy,” this is an extract from the statement that was publicized by Guria News editorial staff.

Journalists face problems in Adjara Autonomous Republic (AAR) too. On January 23, 2009 Natia Rokva, the correspondent  of newspaper Batumelebi was detained by the representatives of Adjara Division of Special Operative Department (SOD) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia (MIA) when she was implementing her professional duties.

Natia Rokva: “I was sitting in a bus when I saw several men in masks throwing things from the balcony of the fourth floor of a house into the street. I got off the bus and started taking photos from the opposite side of the street. Suddenly the representatives of SOD came to me and asked me politely to delete the photos. When I refused they used foul language and said that they would arrest me. I was placed in a car by force. One of the SOD representatives said in the car again that I was arrested… Then law enforcers called to some Mr. David. The SOD representatives explained what had happened. After the telephone conversation they released me. In the evening I saw the interview of Shota Khizanishvili, the head of MIA administration on TV. He commented on my detention. I do not remember the exact words but I think he said that I entered the prohibited place. However, it is clear even from the photos that the place was not fenced.”

Law enforcers violate the rights of journalists in Kakheti Region too. On January 7, 2009  Soso Martashvili, the head of Gurjaani Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia (MIA) insulted the journalists from TV Company Rustavi 2, First Channel, Gurjaani and the Human Rights Center’s internet newspaper www. humanrights.ge and Kakheti regional newspaper Imedi and threatened that they would be arrested. This was when the journalists were covering the protest in front of Gurjaani District Court house.

“The protest was almost over when Soso Martashvili came to us in a police car. He started foul language against us. Assumedly he was drunk. He was shouting: “I will arrest you just like the sportsmen.” He also indicated that if we did not stop working on the sportsmen’s case there was a chance that drugs would be planted on our family members too,” said the journalists.

It is noteworthy that several independent journalists of Kakheti region found a powder that looked like drugs in their handbags many times last year.
Ia Antadze, the journalists considers that constant pressure on journalists that work in various regions of Georgia is caused by the fact that they are independent. Ia Antadze knows the issue quite well. She is the author of the radio program Review of Regional Media that is broadcasted every Sunday through Radio Liberty.

“Regional media outlets are less controlled by the government than national media outlets. Local newspapers are the most free in Georgian media. If observed we will find out that basically the correspondents of local newspapers face various problems. Regional media outlets did a better job than national media outlets during the August war. Local media covers the events more adequately than central media outlets.

There are many problems in regional media outlets. We must find together the ways of tackling these problems,” said Ia Intadze.
Sozar Subari, the Public Defender of Georgia considers that the frequented instances of oppression and intimidation of regional journalists is caused by the absence of political will of the government of Georgia to investigation the facts of abuse.

“It has become a tendency to intimidate journalists in regions of Georgia. I doubt that this is planned by someone but I think it is a sort of a plan that the abusers are not punished. Moreover, the government stimulates those people that violate the law gravely. For instance, there is a record that was made in pre presidential election period. The record shows some Isako Tskipurishvili that entered radion Hereti office and threatened with the office raid if the journalists did not stop criticizing the government. We demanded that the fact was investigated. The investigation started indeed but instead of punishing Tskipurishvili, National Movement, the current ruling party placed him on the party election list. Isako Tskipurishvili entered one of the polling stations on the Election Day on May 21, 2008. He did not have the right to do so because he was an MP candidate. Iago Tskipurishvili used foul language against a young journalist, assaulted her and crashed her tape recorder. This man was on the proportional MP list and maybe he has become an MP,” says the Public Defender.

These facts were included in the Human Rights Watch report 2008 on Georgia. “The media environment remains mixed, with a vibrant print media, but increasingly limited television news broadcasting. Journalists alleged pressure and attacks, including during the elections. A government supporter attacked Hereti radio correspondent Khatuna Gogishvili on the day of the presidential election by taking her recording device and physically assaulting and threatening to kill her. In February independent journalist Gela Mtivlishvili alleged that state security officials subjected him to surveillance and intimidation before and after the election. Journalists reported interference with their professional duties during the May parliamentary elections,” is said in the report.

International organization Freedom House talks about the serious decline of freedom of speech in Georgian. According to the latest report of Freedom House that was published on January 12, 2009 Georgia remains among “partly free” countries, but it has been downgraded to non-electoral democracy due to the restrictions on political and civil rights that were observed last year.

Despite negative evaluations of local and international organizations Mikheil Saakashvili, the President of Georgia does not consider that the situation in terms of freedom of speech deteriorated in Georgia. The president said on January 23 when he was answering people’s questions on 1st channel live air that the critics of the government simply manipulate with the issue of freedom of speech.