Georgia: Journalists attacked during police crackdown on opposition demonstrations

English PEN joins the Georgian PEN Centre in condemning the attacks on journalists by the Police Special Forces which took place on 26 May 2011, following opposition protests in Tbilisi. English PEN calls on the Georgian government to allow a full and impartial investigation into the attacks.
 
According to our information, on 26 May 2011 the Police Special Forces violently dispersed anti-government demonstrators in Tbilisi using tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons, just minutes after the permit for the demonstrators’ rally had expired. The protestors had been ordered to disperse by midnight in order to make way for a military parade planned for the following day. It was reported that up to four people may have been killed during the clamp down and over 37 were injured. Many more remain missing, believed to be detained.
 
English PEN is concerned by reports that several journalists covering the protests were injured during the attacks, including Tamaz Kupreishvili from Netgazeti newspaper, Darejan Paatshvili from Interpressnews, Nato Gogelia from Guria News, Zaira Mikatadze from Resonance newspaper, David Mchedlidze from Media.ge, Diana Khoperia from radio Obiektiv, and Beka Sivsivadze and Giorgi Mamatsashvili from the Asaval-Dasavali newspaper.
 
Furthermore, the police reportedly seized cameras from Avtandil Surmava from Palitra TV and Tamaz Kupreishvili and Nesten Tsetskhladze from Netgazeti; evidence of a deliberate clamp down on journalists reporting on the protests.
 
A statement released by Georgian PEN expressed its “condemnation and deep concern over the growing aggression and severity of actions of the Georgian government against their own citizens“, adding that “these actions go completely against the founding principles of an independent and democratic state, for which the main values are human life, dignity and respect“. The full statement is copied below.
 
TAKE ACTION
 
Letters and emails may be sent to the Georgian authorities:
 
- Calling for the immediate release of those still being held in detention for their peaceful participation in the protests.
- Urging that there be assistance provided to those seeking to locate individuals who have been missing since the police crack down
- Urging that there be an impartial investigation into the attacks, in particular into the deaths of the four protestors
 
Addresses:
 
President of Georgia
Mikheil SAAKASHVILI, Office of the President of Georgia, 7 Ingorokva, 0105 Tbilisi,
GEORGIA
Fax: (+995 32) 99 96 30 / 99 08 79
E-mail: office@presidpress.gov.ge

Human Rights Ombudsperson of Georgia
Giorgi TUGUSHI, Public Defender, 11 Machabeli, 0105 Tbilisi, Georgia
Fax: (+995 32) 92 24 70
Email: info@ombudsman.ge

Prosecutor General of Georgia
Zurab ADEISHVILI, Prosecutor General, Office of the Prosecutor General, 24 Gorg_asali street,
0133 Tbilisi, GEORGIA
Fax: (+ 995 32) 98 21 70

Please also send appeals to the Georgian Embassy in the UK:

His Excellency Mr. Giorgi Badridze
Embassy of Georgia
4 Russell Gardens,
London
W14 8EZ
Fax: 020 7603 6682
Email: gbadridze@geoemb.plus.com
 
Full text of statement from Georgian PEN

Regarding the Georgian government’s crackdown on peaceful demonstrators on May 26, 2011:
 
On Georgian Independence day, May 26, 2011 our society has witnessed another round of violence.
 
The following moments will remain forever part of our history and our memories:  the protesters circled by SWAT team members were not given any chance to disperse and leave; bodies of young and senior protesters lay on the ground, swimming in their own blood, with their hands tied; journalists were brutally beaten; unarmed civilians were ambushed and were attacked by SWAT policemen, prohibiting any opportunity to flight.
 
Once again, we are facing dire consequences:
 
We are witness to dozens of wounded and mutilated people; We are still counting people that have disappeared and that have been illegally detained.  Georgian society has been, once again, deeply traumatized.
 
Georgian PEN Center expresses its condemnation and deep concern over the growing aggression and severity of actions of the Georgian authorities against their own citizens. These actions go completely against the founding principles of independent and democratic state, for which the main values are human life, dignity and respect.
 
We would like to remind authorities that the state is, first of all, based upon social contract and not on weapons, military equipment, police and military parades. We are used to the sight of the Soviet government demonstrating the letter symbolic and repressive elements of statehood during the seventy years of the Soviet domination.
 
The social contract that we have mentioned is broken, first of all, by the government that has put Georgian police and military forces in its own service and has robbed them of their inherent mission of protecting unarmed people, public peace and cooperation.
 
We are convinced that the responsibility for human life is the many duty of any politician.  However, in fact, in Georgia, we see the opposite, not just from the government but from the opposition politicians as well.
           
Georgian PEN Center hopes that events of May 26 will be investigated.  At the same time, we call on the Georgian government to collaborate with its citizens for the sake of finding the disappeared and helping the arrested.  This collaboration is very important in order determine the real reasons that caused the death of the victims, for the healing of the wounded and for the stopping of persecution and blackmail that the authorities are conducting.
        
Georgian PEN Center also hopes that events of May 26 will serve as a catalyst for new processes in our society. These processes should invigorate and strengthen civil society, and enhance the movement for development and for the protection of human rights.
           
Together with our partner non-governmental organizations, we are working towards a list of new civic initiatives that will enhance effective and legitimate involvement of civil society in the political and social life in Georgia.