Shida Kartli Regional Governor prevents Journalists from entering Regional Administration Office

Gela Mtivlishvili from Gori

Journalists were insulted at Shida Kartli Regional administrative office because they asked the administrative office security police: “why are people deprived of the opportunity to enter the Shida Kartli regional Governor’s office and Gori District Governor’s office without a special warrant.” “Son of a bitch, mother f…ers”- these were the insulting words the security police used against inquiring journalists. One of the police officers was so angry that he even tried to physically assault the journalists. This outspoken police officer explained that the security police were instructed by Shida Kartli Regional and Gori District government leaders to remove such kinds of journalists from the governmental office.

Journalists from Imereti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Kakheti, Guria, Samegrelo and Kvemo Kartli regions arrived to Shida Kartli Region to cover human interests stories of the suffering that  those who had experienced as a result of the August Georgian-Russian war. The journalists also wanted to see what conditions these people actually lived. “We journalists had been working in the villages of Ergneti, Khviti, Variani, Tortiza, Kvemo Nikozi and Zemo Nikozi of Gori District the entire day. We had gathered information that had been shared in these villages at the end of the day. We found out that the IDPs in Gori District are living under the gravest of conditions, which is especially for those who had to live in kindergartens and who are warehoused in other compacted settlements in Gori. Those IDPs from the following villages:  Ergneti, Khviti, Variani, Tortiza, Kvemo Nikozi and Zemo Nikozi villages said that they returned mainly on October 10-11. The government promised to help them by providing them with provisions, such as wood and other necessary items. However, the promise remains unkept, and international humanitarian organizations provide only few of those people with provisions. In spite of their repatriation they are still concerned, as these are the frontline villages located nearest to Tskhinvali and the security situation is precarious at best.

This begs the questions, as is the government actually doing to prevent war victims from fleeing their villages that are located just meters away from Tskhinvali? As Lado Vardzelashvili, Shida Kartli Regional Governor was very busy we decided to meet with Davit Khmiadashvili, Gori District Governor to answer this and other pressing IDP related-questons.

Upon approaching the Gori District Governor’s Office, a guard i.e. the security police told that we had no right to enter the office without a warrant. We asked them to explain why there were restrictions on entering the building where Gori City body of self –governance – Sakrebulo, Shida Kartli Regional Governor’s and Gori District Governor’s Offices were housed. The journalists’ question appeared to have annoyed the security guards. One of them was so frustrated that he approached us banishing a gun in his hand. He demanded that we leave the building. However, we refused as it was a public facility and we were there for professional reasons. As a result of standing out ground the already hotheaded police became even more aggressive. They cut loose with blatant insult at the public building’s entrance. One of the police officers even attempted to beat the journalists.
The employees of Gori District Governor’s Office, including the bureau responsible for the issuance of warrant were eye witnesses to the standoff.

The journalists proceeded to call Vova Jugheli, head of Shida Kartli Regional Department of Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia. We asked him to respond to this instance of violence that was being carried out on the part of the police. Consequently, within several minutes, representatives of the Gori Criminal Police arrival to investigate the situation first hand. They immediately asked us to go to the police department and provide our testimonies as what had transpired. However, before going to the police department as requested, we first met with the Gori’s District Governor and District Governor’s Press Department and we asked for their assistance in this matter.

J- Hello Mr. Davit Khmiadashvili. We are journalists from various regions of Georgia.

K - And what do you want?

J -We visited the victims of the August war. We saw that they live in grave conditions. We would like to know how the government is helping them.

K- Why are you so aggressive? Have you forgotten where you are and with whom you are talking? 

J -What are you talking about? The security police insulted us at the building entrance and how can you say that we are the ones that are aggressive.

K -I do not know what happened downstairs.
 
J - Don’t you want to find out?

K - The security police are not subordinated to us. Consequently, I am not responsible for their actions.

J - Does not the fact of insulting and attempting to beat journalists fall under your responsibility?

K - The government does its best to help the IDPs. They are neither hungry nor homeless.

The law enforcers, including investigators treated us contemptuously when we came to the MIA Gori Division to record our testimonies. “If you don’t have an appointment with the district governor then why did you go? The police officers insulted you with the use of foul language, and what? You are not beaten, not one of you has any bruises to show. So what do you want?” explained the law enforcers. The journalists refused to give their testimonies and immediately left the police department as they understand to stay would prove a waste of time.

Tea Tedliashvili, journalists working in Shida Kartli Region informs us that this is not the first incident where journalists have been abused or insulted by the police. She said that the local government has become more and more aggressive to journalists that do not want to give in and obey their orders. The local authorities are clearly acting with a sense of impunity and are preventing journalists from carrying out their professional responsibilities.