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Journalist Is Not Going to Surrender

January 26, 2010

Ana Sheshaberidze

On January 26, the Human Rights Center invited journalists to the press-conference in the office where they protested physical assault of Saba Tsitsikashvili, regional correspondent of the center.

Saba Tsitsikashvili was beaten by the security guard officers of Shida Kartli regional administration. The incident happened on January 22 when the journalist arrived at the district administration to get requested public information.

http://www.humanrights.ge/index.php?a=article&id=4595&lang=en
However, the security guard pushed him down the stairs and kicked out of the building.

Before that, Saba Tsitsikashvili’s article about monthly bonuses taken by Shida Kartli regional governor Lado Vardzelashvili was published in the local newspaper “Kartlis Khma”.

http://www.humanrights.ge/index.php?a=article&id=4527&lang=en 

Director of the Human Rights Center Ucha Nanuashvili said the facts of harassment against journalists have increased in Georgia recently. “It happens because impunity syndrome has been reigning in the country and it directly interferes in the professional activities of journalists. Particularly difficult working environment is created for journalists and human rights defenders in the regions where nobody is punished for similar crimes. Saba Tsitsikashvili has already been beaten by various officials several times; however, nobody has been punished for it yet. Offenders are encouraged by impunity syndrome to repeat same crime again.”

According to Saba Tsitsikashvili, he had been harassed several times recently. He did not appeal to official institutions about these incidents in order to avoid additional problems. However, he informed the society about harassment which turned out not enough for the prevention of similar incidents. Finally, he appealed to law enforcement bodies. The criminal case was launched under Article 118 of the Criminal Code of Georgia which envisages punishment for slight injure of the body “which results into long-term health problems.” Since Tsitsikashvili does not have similar injuries, the victim supposes that launching the case under this article aims to drop it soon. Tsitsikashvili requests to launch the criminal investigation under Article 153 which is interference in professional activities of a journalist.

Same security guard officers who participated in the incident of Gori regional administration physically assaulted the journalist in the past too. According to Saba Tsitsikashvili, every incident has one goal – to prevent him from his professional activities though he will not surrender.

Ucha Nanuashvili recalled the incident of September 2008 when Shida Kartli region deputy governor Zurab Chinchilakashvili beat Saba Tsitsikashvili. Although there were witnesses of this incident, the investigation did not develop and the official continued his activities on the same position for a long time; later he was moved to another position.

“We think intimidation against Saba Tsitsikashvili is not accidental. It is urgent that rights of human rights defenders and journalists are permanently in Shida Kartli region. Both local authority and law enforcement officials, as well central government are guilty in it because they do nothing to punish offenders and eradicate the problems,” said Ucha Nanuashvili.

The Human Rights Center is working on the appeal to international organizations. The Center requests the MIA to investigate the incident to the end and punish the offenders in accordance to the law.

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