Human Rights Defenders Protest Interference in Shalva Ramishvili’s Professional Activities

Georgian human rights defenders request investigation about interference in the professional activities of Journalist Shalva Ramishvili.

The statement of the human rights defenders reads that on September 25, when journalist Shalva Ramishvili was video-recording his program Without Accreditation in Kvareli district close to the President’s residence, police officers detained him. They seized equipment and recorded video-materials from him; the latter was never returned to the journalist after release.

According to the statement, the action of regional police officers is punished under Criminal Code of Georgia and is classified as interference in journalist’s professional activities.

“Police officers, who do not identify their personalities and positions, acted impudently, breached the Law of Police, disrespected and were cynical; and valued their political orders received by the phone call higher than the law. We assess the incident as restriction of the freedom of speech and interference in journalist’s activities and we request to start investigation against concrete people who were video-recorded by the journalist and against those people who participated in illegal activities against journalist Shalva Ramishvili and will be recognized by the journalist. In addition, we also request the police officers to return the seized video-materials to the journalist,” the statement reads.

The statement is signed by: public movement “Solidarity with Illegal Prisoners,” Association “Justice and Freedom”, Human Rights Center, Former Political Prisoners for Human Rights, Law for People, Charity Foundation for Prisoners, Association for Civil and Political Rights, Civil Ombudsman, Movement “NO.”

Interpresnews