Head of Tsnori Hospital Physically Threatens a Journalist

“Janmrteloba” Ltd – Gogi Nikvashvili, a head of Tsnori hospital, who is an activist of the National Movement physically threatened journalist Gela Mtivlishvili, in case he does not stop publishing critical articles about the Tsnori hospital. The journalist reported, that Nikvashvili phoned him last evening and after a wordy insult, he told Mtivlishvili to specify who ordered him to write critical articles about Nikvashvili..

“Nikvashvili not only once before told me not to write anything about him, because he has serious protectors, including Nugzar Abulashvili, a majority deputy of Signagi who is close to the Interior Minister and he won’t be responsible for anything. I explained to him that I did my professional duty as a journalist and it was outside my competence to ask for his responsibility. Nikvashvili was especially irritated when Human Rights Center, where I work, decided to help juridically the parents of Goderdzi Jankarashvili who died in the Tsnori hospital on 4 February, 2009 and his parents blamed Doc. Gogi Nikvashvili in operating badly.

“Pursuant to a complaint made by the Human Rights Center, the regional Prosecutor’s Office of Kakheti held an inquiry against the doctor. Also a TV topic about the case was on TV “Imedi”. Another victim from theTsnori, family of Sikhashvili applied to us the next days. They also blamed Gogi Nikvashvili. They reported that a young healthy man who was put in thehospital with high blood pressure, died because of inattentiveness and unprofessioalism.

A big TV topic about the case was on “Rustavi 2”. This made Nikvashvili angrier, which caused his threaten to me. He threatened me that if I did not stop publishing critical articles about him and if “Human Rights Center” did not stop defending the interests of Jankarashvili, he and his “boys” would physically assault me”- mentioned the journalist.”

Giorgi Nikvashvili, the head of the Tsnori hospital does not deny that he advised the journalist to stop publishing critical articles about him, but the doctor does not confirm the fact of threatening.

The “Human Rights Center” worries about this fact and calls upon the law defenders and Public Defender for an immediate response.

Human Rights Center