Ruling party releases video ‘proving’ Mtavari Arkhi ‘lied’ about alleged attack on cameraman
Ruling party MP Mamuka Mdinaradze has accused Mtavari Arkhi channel of ‘staging provocations.’ Photo: Mamuka Mdinaradze’s Facebook page.
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The ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party has released a video depicting opposition-minded Mtavari Arkhi cameraman Levan Ablotia, ‘walking freely at the time the channel claimed he was unconscious.’
Mtavari Arkhi head Nika Gvaramia stated yesterday that the channel’s cameraman Ablotia had been attacked and then thrown off the second floor of the GD Kareli office by ruling party activists.
He said that Ablotia was unconscious following the incident and was taken to hospital.
Ruling party MP Mamuka Mdinaradze stated that the ‘footage confirms’ that the channel lied.
GD has released the video.
The video came without a time stamp. However, Mdinaradze ‘took responsibility’ for assuring the public it was recorded yesterday.
Ablotia was discharged from hospital earlier today.
Ablotia himself said that he ‘fell down’ from the second floor of the building after several activities of the ruling party tried to grab his camera.
I was walking backwards to defend myself and fell down. Actually it was a throwdown because I was unable to keep balance due to the attack of the ruling party activists,” Ablotia said.
Mtavari Arkhi reported that Ablotia was discharged with ‘multiple fractures and bruises.’ However, doctors said that he ‘had no fractures, only superficial injuries.’
GD head Irakli Kobakhidze said that Gvaramia sent journalists to Kareli GD office ‘to stage provocations there,’ and that the channel had a recording which showed that Ablotia fell down himself.
He says that Mtavari Arkhi ‘deliberately hid the recording to mislead the public.’
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has stated that ‘very serious provocations’ from the opposition United National Movement (UNM) party are expected ahead of the October 2 local elections. Garibashvili responded to the head of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party Irakli Kobakhidze’s recent statement regarding the possible provocations from UNM and stated that he shares the fellow party member’s opinion.
Opposition-minded Mtavari Arkhi cameraman Levan Ablotia, who received injuries in the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party office in Kareli yesterday, has dismissed the allegations of the channel head Nika Gvaramia that he was thrown out of the second floor by GD activists.
Opposition-minded Mtavari Arkhi reported earlier today that its cameraman Levan Ablotia was thrown out of the second floor of the ruling Georgian Dream party headquarters in Kareli, in Shida Kartli region.
Election polls commissioned by the opposition-minded TV channel Mtavari Arkhi say the ruling Georgian Dream party will receive 25 per cent of votes in the upcoming October 31 parliamentary elections.
The co-founder of the opposition-minded TV channel Mtavari Arkhi Giorgi Rurua was found guilty for the illegal possession and carrying of firearms and has been sentenced to four years in prison by Tbilisi City Court earlier today.
The ruling Georgian Dream party says opposition United National Movement (UNM) party members in regions are acting in a destructive and provocative manner. Ruling party MP Irakli Chikovani said at a news briefing earlier today that for several days now the UNM representatives have been staging provocations to ‘artificially damage the peaceful and calm election environment’ in various regions.