Prosecution Goes Back to Raid into Imedi TV

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Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia re-started examination of individual complaints lodged by journalists in regard to the November 7, 2007 raid into Imedi TV.

Joni Kalandadze, one of the witnesses and complainants, chief producer of TV Imedi news program told Media.Ge that he was visiting the Prosecutor’s Office last week.

 “I talked to the prosecutor about the November 2007 events having taken place at Imedi TV premises. I was visiting the prosecution upon their invitation, but I can’t tell exactly whether I had been summoned as a witness or a victim,” said Joni Kalandadze reporting to Media.Ge. He thereby specified that the Prosecutor’s Office is re-examining the November 2007 events, Imedi TV case is a separate fragment to study.

On November 7, 2007 a multi-day opposition rally demanding President Saakashvili's step-down ended up with the dispersal of the rally participants by the riot police. The journalists covering the attacks between policemen and protestors were injured too. On the same day the riot police raided the Imedi TV premises, having damaged the equipments. The journalists were seized mobile phones and made to leave the building. Afterwards the TV company went off the air. TV broadcasting was resumed on December 26, 2007. At the time the TV company was owned by late business tycoon Badri Patarkatsishvili. He was then openly supporting the opposition, and according to the government’s allegations, he was funding the rallies organized by the opposition. The journalist having quit Imedi TV appealed the violation of their fundamental rights at the Prosecutor’s Office, requesting compensation for moral and financial damage. No substantial response was provided to the journalists’ complaint. Later on 12 of Imedi TV employees applied to the Prosecutor’s Office individually. With the support rendered by Human Rights Priority, the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. The Court accepted the application ‘Giorgi Akhvlediani and Others Against Georgia’ for further proceeding, the study into the case lodged by the journalists is still being on.

Reporting to Media.Ge Joni Kalandadze said if the case moves further on at Strasbourg Court the Georgian authorities and the Ministry of Justice in particular, will be representing the defendant party, but to the incumbent government the Ministry has got no claims to raise.

Minister of Justice Tea Tsulukiani, Kalandadze added, got concerned into their case, and consequently the discussion was held over the issue.

Incumbent authorities, the journalist thinks, having no links with the 2007 events cannot represent the defendant atStrasbourg Court.

Merab Metreveli, another former Imedi TV journalist, having lodged an individual complaint, told Media.Ge that he had been contacted from the Prosecutor’s Office. “Seemingly everyone whose complaints are in place at the Prosecutor’s Office are being contacted,” said Merab Metreveli.