Three current journalists (Irakli Kiknavelidze, Levan Sutidze and Nino Macharashvili) and one former employee (Avto Koridze) of Tabula TV were attacked at Restaurant Chashnagari at Kote Apkhazi Street in Tbilisi on January 12, 2016. Journalist Irakli Kiknavelidze said that several persons assaulted them both verbally and physically and damaged the restaurant equipment. Kiknavelidze also said that the assailants cited Tabula’s critical views on the Georgian Church as the reason behind the attack. The attacked journalists sustained minor injuries.

The Interior Ministry has launched investigation under Article 125 of the Criminal Code of Georgia involving battery.  

A group of non-governmental organizations said that the Interior Ministry launched investigation under the wrong article. The statement released by them reads that it is important “to give proper qualification to the act.” “When describing the circumstances of the crime, the investigation has to indicate that there are signs of offence on the grounds of hatred envisaged by part 3¹ of article 53 of the Criminal Code of Georgia,” the statement reads. Based on the released video footage and the statements made by eyewitnesses, the signs of threatening and beating have been revealed in the case. In addition, the attack on journalists because of their dissenting opinions has been motivated by hatred.

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GDI, MDF, EMC, TDI, Identoba, Sapari, GYLA: Statement, 14 January, 2016

Media Advocacy Coalition: Statement , 15 January, 2016

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On 31 December 2015 all employees of TV 25 news service were fired by the management. Later it partly reversed its decision and fired only journalists Nino Kheladze, Jaba Ananidze, Irma Zoidze and the head of the news service Maia Merkviladze.

This decision was preceded by a briefing by the head of news service on 29 December 2015, who accused the TV channel’s management and owners of interference in editorial independence. Such statement was made by journalist Jaba Ananidze, who said that an owner requested that the journalist make his tone softer while reporting on Giorgi Chkonia – a businessman close to the government.

The conflict in TV 25 came after the story about arrest of an employee of the Adjara Chamber of Commerce and Industry, aired on 14 December. The arrested person is family member of the channel’s chief director, for which reason the chief director insulted and threatened the head of the news service Maia Merkviladze. 15 days after the incident, the management fired all employees of the news service.

The management of TV 25 and an announcement about hiring new employees. Meanwhile, the fired employees turned to Batumi City Court, claiming interference in editorial policy and violation of labor rights.

On May 17, 2016, Batumi City Court fully satisfied the claim of former journalists of TV 25: Irma Zoidze, Maia Merkviladze, Jaba Ananidze and Nino Kheladze. Accordingly, the court ordered that the administration of TV 25 shall return employees to their positions and fully compensate their salaries lost during the period of wrongful dismissal. The Claimants were represented by the Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA). 

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On December 17 the prosecutor’s office summoned Rustavi 2 TV journalist, Davit Kashiashvili as a witness. The investigation showed interest towards the story prepared by him and aired by the main news program of Kurieri on December 16, where an anonymous source – former employee of women’s colony – spoke about a meeting of GD lawmakers, Eka Beselia and Manana Kobakhidze with prisoners and a corrupt bargain of the two lawmakers with one of the prisoners. Information provided by Kurieri’s confidential source was in line with the earlier remarks made by Aleko Elisashvili, an independent member of the Tbilisi City Council (Sakrebulo), who claimed that “influential politicians” were involved in the influence peddling.

Journalist Davit Kashiashvili exercised his right not to disclose the source; he did not answer the questions asked by inverstigation and refused to give a testimony.

According to Article 11(1) of the Law on Freedom of Speech and Expression, the sources of professional secrets shall be protected by an absolute privilege, and nobody shall have the right to require disclosure of the source. In litigation on the restriction of the freedom of speech, the respondent shall not be obliged to disclose the source of confidential information.

According to Article 11(2) of the same law, disclosure of confidential information without the consent of its owner or, in cases determined by the law, without a grounded decision of the court, shall be unacceptable.

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On December 17 the procesutor’s office summoned another Kurieri journalist, Natia Trapaidze. This time the investigation had some questions in connection with a public statement made at a press conference. In particular, the journalist covered the press conference organized by the families of Irakli Pirtskhalava and Giorgi Tsaadze; the both men were arrested in connection to death of two persons in a police operation in 2006. During the press conference, Judge Badri Kochlamazashvili was accused of taking a bribe. The investigation wanted to clarify what the journalist knew about the statements made by the families of Pirtskhalava and Tsaadze. The same press conference was also covered by other media outlets, but only the Rustavi 2 TV journalist was summoned to the prosecutor’s office. Trapaidze went to the prosecutor’s office, but she exercised her right to silence and did not give a testimony. It should be noted that members of the Pirtskhalava and Tsaadze families were also summoned by the prosecutor’s office as witnesses on December 14 to give a testimony in connection with their public accusations. 

According to paragraph “h” of article 50 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Georgia, journalists do not have to act as witnesses in connection with the information received in the process of their professional activities. 

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On 8 December 2015 Rustavi 2  reported about the attempt of the State Security Service (SSS) to recruit Kakha Kublashvili, the driver of TV company’s financial director.

According to the TV company, SSS officers stopped Kakha Kublashvili and invited him into their Toyota Camry. The officers in plain clothes introduced themselves as SSS servicemen. The conversation continued for two hours and, according to Kublashvili, was aimed at recruiting him in exchange for financial benefits. It also appeared that the financial director was under surveillance too.

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According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, after the interview with Kakha Kublashvili the investigation was not initiated because of lack of elements of crime.

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On 21 October 2015 Rustavi 2 TV issued the footage, depicting the employee of technical service agency of Lanchkhuti Municipality Nugzar Tsintsadze preventing the regional reporter of Rustavi 2 Lado Menabde from filming in the public space and insulting him. Tsintsadze called the journalist “people’s enemy” and “sectarian”, with further verbal abuse. Tsintsadze, who was at the rally against the opposition National Movement, told Rustavi 2 journalist that he was prohibited from working in Lanchkhuti and that Rustavi 2 was biased.

This is not the first case of Lado Menabde being hindered while conducting his professional activities. In the past he had already turned to police and prosecutors a number of times. 

One year ago Nugzar Tsintsadze verbally abused Lado Menabde and Rustavi 2 cameraman. According to the TV channel’s  footage on 8 December 2014 Tsintsadze, who was a Georgian Dream activist at the time, was not allowing the cameraman to do his job. He was threatening both the journalist and cameraman with physical assault if they came to Lanchkhuti again. The incident occurred after a football game between “Sioni” Bolnisi and “Guria” Lanchkhuti. 

According to Lado Menabde, investigation was stopped shortly. Several months ago he testified to the law enforcers, but no results of investigation are known to him.

The MDF requested information on this incident from the Lanchkhuti regional office of MIA. In the response letter MIA regional office informed us that the criminal investigation had been launched not regarding the illegal interference into professional activity of journalist, but for damaging the door of the National Movement’s office, on the basis of Part 1, Article 187 of the Criminal Code. According to Deputy Head of Lanchkhuti District Division of MIA Levan Chkhaidze there is no criminal investigation against any particular person regarding this case. 

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The MDF requested information on this incident from the Lanchkhuti regional office of MIA. In the response letter MIA regional office informed us that the criminal investigation had been launched not regarding the illegal interference into professional activity of journalist, but for damaging the door of the National Movement’s office, on the basis of Part 1, Article 187 of the Criminal Code. According to Deputy Head of Lanchkhuti District Division of MIA Levan Chkhaidze there is no criminal investigation against any particular person regarding this case.

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Information Centers Network made a statement regarding the 2015 incident on 28 October, and called on the MIA and the Prosecutors Office to provide adequate response to the incident.

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