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PEN International Condemns Facts of Attacks at Journalists in Tbilisi

June 20, 2011

The Writers in Prison Committee (WiPC) of PEN International joins the Georgian PEN Centre in condemning the attacks on journalists by the Police Special Forces which took place on 26 May 2011, following opposition protests in Tbilisi. The WiPC calls on the Georgian government to allow a full and impartial investigation into the attacks.
On 26 May 2011 the Police Special Forces violently dispersed anti-government demonstrators in Tbilisi using tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons, minutes after the permit for the demonstrators' rally had expired. The protestors had been ordered to disperse by midnight in order to make way for a military parade planned for the following day. It was reported that up to four people may have been killed during the clamp down and over 37 were injured. Many more remain missing, believed to be detained.

The WiPC is concerned by reports that several journalists covering the protests were injured during the attacks, including Tamaz Kupreishvili from Netgazetinewspaper, Darejan Paatshvili from Interpressnews, Nato Gogelia from Guria News, Zaira Mikatadze from Resonance newspaper, David Mchedlidze fromMedia.ge, Diana Khoperia from radio Obiektiv, and Beka Sivsivadze and Giorgi Mamatsashvili from the Asaval-Dasavali newspaper.  Furthermore, the police seized cameras from Avtandil Surmava from Palitra TV and Tamaz Kupreishvili and Nesten Tsetskhladze from Netgazeti; evidence of a deliberate clamp down on journalists reporting on the protests.

A statement released by Georgian PEN expressed its "condemnation and deep concern over the growing aggression and severity of actions of the Georgian government against their own citizens", adding that "these actions go completely against the founding principles of an independent and democratic state, for which the main values are human life, dignity and respect".

Georgian PEN Center hopes that events of May 26 will be investigated.  "At the same time, we call on the Georgian government to collaborate with its citizens for the sake of finding the disappeared and helping the arrested.  This collaboration is very important in order determine the real reasons that caused the death of the victims, for the healing of the wounded and for the stopping of persecution and blackmail that the authorities are conducting."

"Georgian PEN Center also hopes that events of May 26 will serve as a catalyst for new processes in our society," is said in the statement by the Georgian PEN Center, circulated on facebook.

Media.ge

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