Government started to dismantle booths for newspapers in Kakheti because they think it makes the town unattractive. Several hours ago representatives of the local authority ordered to dismantle newspaper booths in Gurjaani. All districts in Kakheti will share the fate of Gurjaani too.
It should be taken into consideration that several newspaper booths were robbed and damaged in Gurjaani for the last month. However, law enforcers did not show any interest regarding the incidents.
Today, people tried to resist the authority to remove booths. Nino Shavkacishvili, local representative of the JSC “Sakpress”, said in her conversation with the Human Rights Center that despite protest, local authority plans to dismantle all newspaper booths.
Valeri Vardosanidze, Deputy Governor of the Gurjaani Municipality was in charge of carrying out the removing process.
Nobody makes comments regarding the incident at the Regional Administration. It is not clear yet where people will buy newspapers tomorrow. Representatives of the regional newspaper “Imedi” also protest the restriction of press distribution.
Gela Mtivlishvili, Kakheti