Gurjaani Governor Terrorizes Journalists

Ramaz Kerechashvili threw a telephone at the correspondent for TV Company

Ramaz Kerechashvili, Gurjaani Municipality Governor, abuses independent journalist. If events in the region are broadcast critically, he threatens correspondents to fire their relatives who work in public offices. The governor particularly harasses those journalists, who make unreasonable expenses, appropriation and peculation of budget funds public.

Recently, Thea Alaverdashvili, regional correspondent for the Public Broadcaster, became the next object of the governor’s suppression. Kerechashvili ordered her relative, who works in the Municipality, to warn Alaverdashvili not to shoot the press-conference that was to be held in the Kakheti office of non-governmental organization Human Rights Center (HRIDC). The press-conference was dedicated to financial violations in the local government. Despite the demand, Valeri Gharibashvili shot the conference and applied to the governor to make comments too. Kerechashvili got even more furious regarding the fact and ordered the husband of the journalist, who works in one of the departments of the Administrative Board as a chief specialist, to come to his office and rebuked him. The man tried to explain that he had nothing to do with his wife’s activities and she will shoot everything what the editor asks her to. Afterwards, the governor started shouting and insulted journalists. Being close to Kerechashvili’s quarter, journalists heard offensive words and got annoyed.

“We had just left the waiting room of the chairman of Municipality and heard the governor shouting. He was insulting journalists in foul language. We entered his room to find out why he was insulting us. Thea Alaverdashvili was the first to enter the room and demanded explanation from the governor. The latter denied everything and got so irritated that threw mobile phone at her. Fortunately, the phone hit the wall. We could not enter governor’s room because other employees of the Administrative Board took us out of the building,” said Tamar Makharashvili, correspondent for Kakheti Regional Newspaper “Imedi.”

“We have introduced the chairman of the Municipality with the information how governor abuses journalists. Tamaz Abramishvili promised us to discuss the question with the governor and to prevent the situation. Throwing phone at journalists, kicking out from the room, etc-everything happened afterwards. Why has it become so impossible to prevent the hooliganism of the governor? How can he phone a journalist and prevent him/her from preparing some news? It is illegal interference of journalist’s professional activities and he must be punished for it,” said Khatuna Guliashvili, regional correspondent for TV Company “Mze”.

Thea Alaverdashvili does not deny the fact of suppression; however she does not want to speak about concrete facts. “Members of my family really work in governmental offices. However, it does not mean that somebody has right to interfere my professional activities. Moreover, the governor does not have the right because according to the law he is responsible to endure the situation as a public official,” said Alaverdashvili.

Journalists wanted to inform the President’s Representative to Kakheti Region regarding the situation; however Kakheti Gubernator did not answer phone calls. Thus, journalists tried to get in touch with Gia Natsvlishvili with the help of his press-secretary.

“I discussed the fact with Ramaz Kerechashvili and he denied everything. So I cannot help you to get in touch with the Gubernator to tell fraudulent stories to him. I believe that the governor could not have done similar things and he is right.”

-Are you Gubernator’s press-secretary or his security guard or Kerechashvili’s attorney?

-You can think whatever you want about me. The Gubernator has much work and he cannot find time for you,” said Mari Shashviashvili, press-secretary of the Gubernator.

Ramaz Kerechashvili denied the fact of abusing the journalists in his conversation with Human Rights Center. He got in touch with the center himself while the article was being prepared.

“Are you going to write an article about the fact? Where are you going to publish it? It is false, can you understand it-it is false,” said Kerechashvili over the phone.

“If the story is true, the governor had no right of similar behavior. It is a serious mistake. Nobody has right to treat journalists in this way,” said Tamaz Abramishvili, chairman of the Gurjaani Municipality.

It is noteworthy that regional journalists protested the facts of harassment several times, though in vain. Officials permanently prevent journalists from their activities.

Representatives of the Kakheti based non-governmental organizations think that Kerechashvili receives directions from the Gubernator.

“The governor might behave impudently once or twice but it cannot last for such a long time. I doubt, higher officials appreciate his behavior and encourage him to insult journalists. Thus, it is Gubernator who orders the governor to abuse journalists. Consequently, the situation must be condemned and eradicated,” said Lia Khuroshvili, lawyer for the Human Rights Center.

According to the spread information, Davit Kirkitadze, secretary general of National Movement, protects Kerechashvili.

Gela Mtivlishvili, Kakheti