Attack on Journalists Same as War Crimes

Four journalists died and fourteen were wounded during the military operations between Georgia and South Ossetia/Russia. Photo-reporter Akelsander Klimchuk and Giga Chikhaladze, editor of the news department at the TV Company Alania and correspondent for the News Week. They were shot in Tskhinvali on August 10. Ossetian separatists took other two correspondents as hostages; those people are US citizen Winston Feathery-Bean, editor-in-chief of the Tbilisi based English newspaper “Messenger” and Temur Kighuradze, journalist of the same newspaper. Featherly and Kighuradze are wounded and are now in a hospital in North Ossetia. On August 12 Stan Storminess, operator of the Dutch TV Company was killed during the Russian bombardment in Gori. The name of the fourth dead journalist has not reported yet there has also been some wounded Turkish journalists.  Moreover, Russian militants and Ossetian separatists robbed looted Georgian and foreign journalists working in the conflict zone and open fire at them.

Turkish reporters became victims of the Russian troops and Ossetian gangs. The video materials of the news agency “Reuters”  shows how soldiers opened fire at Turkish journalists at the entrance to Tskhinvali on August 10; those aggressors were speaking in Ossetian; one of the Turkish reporters was wounded in the head but it was not fatal.

Armed militants attacked another group of Turkish journalists in Gori district when they were filming the situation in the village of Karaleti.

“Residential houses were ablaze in Karaleti. Russian peacekeepers and Ossetians watched the burning houses when we started filming. At that moment they rushed to us and seized cameras under threat of weapon; they took our cars too,” said Turkish journalist Vech Di Bass.

On August 12 as a result of Russian bombardment reporters from the Greek TV Company came under attack. However, Greek journalist Pilios Stagnosi reported that only one person from their camera team had been seriously wounded. His life is now out of danger.”

On that same day, Zadok Yehezkeli, journalist of Israeli newspaper was wounded in Gori. At night of August 12 he was operated on at Tbilisi Ghudushauri hospital. Doctors state that Jewish correspondent suffers from numerous injuries and wounds.

At night of August 14 Russian militants and Ossetian volunteers looted Czech journalists in Gori district. Journalist Marek Gureba reported that armed people seized everything from him. Russian soldiers kept Czech journalist hostage for one hour before releasing him.

Reporters from Israeli news sources could not escape the boot of the Russian either. Anmelia Pfafelia, correspondent from the newspaper “Haarets”, reported that Russian soldiers forced him out of the car under threat of a weapon; his car had special plates on that indicated that journalists were representatives of the press.

Tamar Urushadze, correspondent of the Georgian Public Broadcasting, was shot when she was during a live broadcast from the entrance to Gori. Tamar Urushadze was wounded in her left hand.

On August 15 Ossetian armed people looted representatives of the Institute for Broadcasting War and Peace. Margarita Akhvlediani reported that four people, speaking in Ossetian, attacked her. Before getting out of the car, the harassers opened fire on the car.

Oleg Panifilov, director of the Extreme Journalistic Center, reported that correspondents of the TV Company “RenTV” were also injured.

According to the information of the Georgian regional broadcasters Russian soldiers looted offices of the Zugdidi based Radio Station “Atinati” and Senaki based TV Company “Egrisi”. The robbers too video-cameras and computer equipment; currently the two radio and TV companies do not work. Russian aviation destroyed Gori TV tower and consequently, Gori based TV Company “Trialeti” ceased broadcasting.

International Organizations for the Protection of Journalists responded to the facts of harassment and attacks on Georgian and foreign journalists during the military operations.

“Although ceasefire was declared we are deeply concerned by the fact that journalists and operators were victim to military operations in the conflict zone. It is unacceptable for us and we call on the parties to the conflict to provide security for journalists. This conflict has ended into the death of several our colleagues and at least 10 journalists are wounded. Commanders of the military units deployed in the conflict zone must remind their soldiers that journalists are civilians and they are protected under the Geneva Convention,” stated Joel Simon, director of the International Committee for the Protection of Journalists.

International Federation of Journalists requested the parties to the military operations in Georgia to create security zone for media sources and to investigate the casualties of journalists.  

“We call on all parties to remember that journalists are considered civil members of the society and that any kind harassment against them is banned under international law. The parties should create security zone so that journalists will not targets of the shooting while working in the conflict zone,” said Pako Odie, deputy secretary general of the Federation.

According to the Resolution 1738 of the UN Security Council, media representatives are considered civilians during military operations and any kind assault on them is viewed as a war crime. The Federation calls on the parties to investigate the casualties of the journalists from the Georgian conflict.

“If our colleagues became targets those who are guilty for that crime must be punished,” said Odei.

Estonian Foreign Minister also demanded punishment of the people who opened fire at journalists when he visited Georgia.

“Relationship of NATO and Russia cannot be the same in future because here crimes were committed that should not have occurred in the 21st century. People who attacked journalist during the recent conflict must be severely punished,” stated Urmas Paet, the head of the Foreign Minister of Estonia.