Attack of Guram Donadze’s TV-Station on Independent Journalists

Tako Khutsishvili

“Horrible,” “nasty information”, “propagandist method,” “shame of Georgian journalism,”- these were assessments made by famous journalists about the telecast prepared by TV-station ”Real-TV” which aimed to discredit journalist Vakhtang Komakhidze.

“Prison, Media and Security,” this is the obscure title of the telecast which was prepared by TV-station “Real-TV” about life and professional activities of the investigative journalist. The telecast was broadcast after the head of Studio Reporter Vakhtang Komakhidze requested political asylum from the government of Switzerland.

Journalist of the Real-TV recalled imprisonment of Vakhtang Komakhidze which he had served 29 years ago; in addition to that, the journalist accused him in polygamy. According to the telecast, the journalist had several wives together and his 8 children were growing up without attention.

Journalist from the Real-TV did not forget that in 2004 Vakhtang Komakhidze worked at the Ministry of Security. However, he provided the society with incorrect information – according to him, Komakhidze left the ministry because of financial machinations one year later. In fact, Komakhidze left the ministry 3 months later based on his personal wish.

For journalists the telecast of the Real-TV exceeds all ethic norms. The most astonishing fact was interference in his private life. We publish their comments without comments.

Eliso Chapidze, deputy editor-in-chief of the newspaper “Resonance” and editor of “Mteli Kvira: “I think it was nasty telecast. Similar interference in private life of a person who is not public official is a serious crime. I suggest Vakhtang to appeal against Real-TV because they have breached Article 19, Part VI of the Civil Code. Claiming that he had abandoned his children is false. I personally know his several children; one of them worked with me. Vakho looks after his children despite the fact he had divorced his first wife. And the most important point is that – when you speak about past criminal liability of another person, you should not be suspected in the murder.”

Ia Antadze (blogger of Radio “Liberty”, media-expert): “Having seen this telecast I first had feeling that I am completely unprotected in my country. This telecast showed me that somebody can tell a lie about me and then I will have to justify myself all my life. This is the most un-ethic telecast I have ever seen. So, I think this is the moment when we should not keep silence. What was said in the telecast goes beyond all ethic norms. Besides many lies which were said by the journalist, they speak about the incident which happened 20 years ago; which is already old one though they used it as discrediting evidence against the journalist. In fact they have breached all rights which could be breached. Journalists always think about simultaneous events. First of all, we want to translate the telecast in English and German and send it to our colleagues abroad. We might also meet ambassadors here in Georgia.”

Zviad Koridze (media-expert): “This telecast demonstrates that the government expected Vakhtang Komakhidze to take urgent measures. Apparently, they had planned similar propagandist methods very well.

Private life of a person is inviolable and nobody had right to interfere in it. Moreover, personal stories have nothing to do with the incident for what Vakho requested political asylum. As for 30-year-old criminal case, they showed only bill of particulars and I do not know how Komakhidze participated in this crime. Even if he was tried, several serious violations happened in this telecast. The crime was committed when he was a juvenile and served the term – 4 years – for it; then he succeeded in social rehabilitation and today he is plenipotentiary member of the society. He has not committed any crime since childhood. The term of liability has already expired and nobody has right to call the person a criminal after so long time.

It is not secret from anybody that Vakhtang Komakhidze worked at the Security Ministry. It is strange, if he was a criminal, why nobody remembered about it before? I doubt it was prevention. If Vakho Komakhidze is not granted political asylum and is deported to Georgia, law enforcement bodies will have right to start criminal investigation against him because of “fabricated financial machinations.”
Beso Kurtanidze, head of Association of Investigative Journalists: “They are blaming him for having worked at the Ministry of Security. Is it discrediting evidence? And if it is so, how can we treat the person who works for the Security Ministry now? Komakhidze worked for the ministry only for 3 months and he had no connection with finances except getting salary. Then, Sozar Subari offered him to work at the Public Defender’s Office and Komakhidze left the ministry. If he was involved in any kind of financial machinations, why criminal investigation was not started on the fact immediately?

As for the 30-year-old charge, the liability term has expired and it is illegal to call a person convicted now. In fact, to tell the truth, the situation was quite different. More precisely, Vakho’s mother died at that time and he lived alone. Vakho did not steal anything. His neighbor fellow stored stolen goods in his house. It was the entire story and he was found guilty for that. In fact, Vakho was punished instead other person.

Besides that, journalist speaks about many fabricated accusations. He said Komakhidze has many wives. Vakho married his second wife three years after he had divorced his first one. His first wife works at the children asylum of the Patriarchate and their underage children live with her. The elder son works at the Studio “Monitor” with his father and second one learns at a pedagogical institute.”

Lasha Tughushi: (the editor-in-chief of the newspaper “Resonance”):” This is serious signal for our society. Now it depends on us how adequate we will be, how the government will manage to be adequate. It is impossible to hush up the fact. We cannot be deaf or blind. We should make conclusions and express solidarity to our colleague”.

Gia Iakobashvili (the editor of Presa.ge): “This television is shame for not only Georgian journalism, but generally the shame of world journalism. But what they do is not journalism. This “Real TV” is neither TV, nor Real. I personally do not consider them to be my colleagues and journalists. Are not there other problems in Georgia to cover instead interfering in private life of Vakho Komakhidze? In my opinion, the representatives of Georgian media should gather and express our position about the issue”.

Sozar Subar (Former Public Defender): “This is part of governmental campaign, because Real TV is government-controlled TV Company and the government finances them. As soon as they learned Vakho Komakhidze requested political asylum, they obtained materials about his 30-years-old criminal liability within an hour. When I was Public Defender, they were searching several weeks to find the case materials, which were discussed 2-3 years before. It is very interesting how they managed to find case materials so soon in archive which were 30 years old?! It does not happen by chance.

If Komakhidze committed something when he was young, it is impossible to judge him for that now. As for his personality and family, everything was absurd”.

Nana Lezhava( the head of studio GNS):” This was terrible telecast. When journalist works on reportage, s/he should check information. It is unacceptable for me to make reportage based on the comments which were written on the forum. They did not say why Vakho Komakhidze left Georgia and what happened. I do not know the past of Vakho Komakhidze and I am not interested in his family”.

Aleko Tskitishvili (the editor-in-chief of the humanrights.ge): “The previous telecasts of “Real TV” were partial too and it is clear for journalists what kind of television it is, but the telecast on Vakhtang Komakhidze is cheap and stupid execution of propagandistic directions. It is astonishing that “Real TV” (known by nickname “Guram Donadze’s TV”) recalls the crime which was committed 30 years ago which was not committed by Vakho Komakhidze in fact. I know about incident, because it was mentioned during Shevardnadze’s governance too; their aim was the same. He was working for TV-Program “60 Minutes” and they could not think of anything better to discredit him. It is shameful to recall minor crime which happened 30 years ago and was not committed by Vakho Komakhidze; in parallel to it, it is also very shameful not to remember your responsibility about Girgvliani’s murder, which terrified entire country and seriously damaged stability of our state. Why it is the shameful to be the father of many children? Everyone knows that Vakhatng Komakhidze is good father. It is better for Guram Donadze’s TV to count the wives of ministers and find out the situation of their children. Let the journalists have their private life inviolate!”