Netgazeti Journalist Restricted to Film First Lady of Georgia

On March 15 journalist Nino Kakhiashvili of the online edition Netgazeti was restricted to film the first lady of Georgia Sandra Elisabeth Roelofs having conducted a lesson for primary class pupils at Tbilisi Public School №1on the healthy way of life. Moreover, Netgazeti reports, an unidentified person deleted the part of the footage featuring the interview with Sandra Roelofs journalist Nino Kakhiashvili managed to obtain earlier.

"Sandra Elisabeth Roelofs started reporting to media on the importance of healthy school. Along with the rest of the TV cameras Netgazeti too filmed the interview with the first lady of Georgia but in a short while several unidentified persons first restricted us to close up Sandra Roelofs and then filming," said Nino Kakhiashvili reporting on Netgazeti.

The first lady's attendants clarified the reason for the restriction, the invitation list for the event, they said, included televisions only. But the Ministry of Education and Science provided Netgazeti with the announcement on the evening of March 14, writes the journalist.

Nino Kakhiashvili was denied entry to the classroom Sandra Roelofs was giving a lesson in. Neither the visit of Catholicos Patriarch of all Georgia Ilia II to discuss the healthy way of life was of any help.

To avoid noise, journalist points out, she was asked out ato the school corridor to obtain her ID details and have the footage deleted.

"This video shouldn't stay here. In case you need the material other televisions can provide you, or you can copy yourself, what's the problem," the journalist cited one of Sandra Roelofs's attendants, a man aged 30-35.

Reporting to Media.ge Nino Kakhiashvili specified that the stranger, purportedly first lady's security guard was speaking correctly. Journalist herself handed him the video camera over to have the footage deleted.

Media.ge