Media.ge, Tbilisi, 24 Apr 2009 – Journalists in regions of Georgia denounce verbal abuse of journalists in Tbilisi covering protest rallies organized by oppositional political parties, as well as hindering ability of journalists to perform professional duty.
As the web portal MEDIA.GE reports, correspondents of Channel 1 were verbally insulted and protesters didn’t allow the editor of the noted web-portal, Dato Mchedlishvili to perform his work.
Although neither Channel 1 of the Georgian neither Public Broadcaster, nor journalists working for the television-company have ever responded to threats, violence and other fact of pressure against independent journalists in regions, we consider that abusing journalists and hindering them to perform professional duties, by representatives of either oppositional or ruling parties is absolutely unacceptable.
First of all, we want to address our colleagues working for television companies and ask them to be objective. We also call for the organizers and participants of protest rallies to refrain from abusing journalists.
Signatures:
•Gela Mtivlishvili, Gurjaani
•Nino Narimanashvili, Akhaltsikhe
•Ia Bobokhidze, Kutaisi
•Gia Sikharulidze, Chokhatauri
•Sopo Zhghenti, Batumi
•Natalia Sarkisashvili, Gurjaani
•Tamar Makharashvili, Gurjaani
•Marika Vacharadze, Kutaisi
•Ilia Martkoplishvili, Dedoplistskaro
•Shorena Ghlonti, Ozurgeti
•Nata Kopadze, Borjomi
•Tea Tedliashvili, Gori
•Gulo Kokhodze, Akhaltsikhe
•Inga Gvasalia, Poti
•Saba Tsitsikashvili, Gori
•Mamuka Kantaria, Lanchkhuti