Formula TV employees attacked
Following the incident the Georgian Interior Ministry stated that an investigation has been launched into damage to the car of the Formula TV driver. Photo: formulanews.ge.
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Two employees of Formula TV have been attacked and physically assaulted at midnight on April 9.
Director General of Formula TV Zuka Gumbaridze stated earlier today that during curfew an unknown individual broke the window of a car owned by the channel’s driver.
Nothing was stolen from the car; it was just damaged. Police officers arrived on the spot, but we [Formula TV staff] have no information regarding the investigation”, said Gumbaridze earlier today.
The second incident also involved a Formula TV driver, who was attacked and sustained injuries to his body.
While responding to the incidents, the Deputy General Director of the TV channel said ‘there is evidence that the attacks on TV channel employees were encouraged by government and political leaders’.
Following the incident the Georgian Interior Ministry stated that an investigation has been launched into damage to the car of the Formula TV driver.
Today, non-governmental organisation Transparency International Georgia (TI Georgia) has called on authorities to timely investigate further incidents against media workers.
The incidents related to the Formula TV clearly show how difficult and dangerous it has become for the media to work in the conditions of the sharp political polarisation in the country. The government fails to create a safe working environment for critical media representatives”, reads the statement of TI Georgia.
On February 24 Formula TV journalist Vakho Sanaia was also attacked by three individuals.
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After the incident Sanaia said that the three individuals expressed aggression against him as a journalist and that the attack was the result of a negative campaign against critical TV channels.
On February 27 the three attackers, Suliko Sakevarishvili, Giorgi Sakhelashvili and Vazha Gigauri were detained.
The Georgian Interior Ministry intends to sue opposition-minded Formula TV for alleged misinformation and defamation after the media outlet claimed that police officers have been violating their official duties to support prostitution in return for money.
Tbilisi City Court has denied bail to three attackers of Formula TV journalist Vakho Sanaia. Suliko Sakevarashvili, Giorgi Sakhelashvili and Vazha Gigauri were detained after attacking Sanaia late on February 24.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibahsvili has condemned the recent attack on Formula TV journalist Vakho Sanaia in downtown Tbilisi. Sanaia was attacked by three individuals earlier today.
A Georgian man has been arrested and charged after he physically assaulted a photo reporter in Tbilisi.
One person has been arrested for physically assaulting journalists of TV Pirveli channel yesterday in the Tsalka Municipality of central Georgia. Footage released by TV Pirveli shows representative of Tsalka Municipality Giorgi Aprasidze swearing at journalists and throwing a microphone at them.
Three individuals have been found guilty for attacking Formula TV journalist Vakho Sanaia in late February in front of his wife and child and sentenced to six months of imprisonment with time served given they have been in detention for six months.
Two journalists, Rati Ratiani and Giorgi Arobeladze, have accused police of assault, which allegedly took place following their arrest in Batumi on December 17.The incident occurred in front of the bar Adgili, which is located on Rustaveli street in Batumi close to the police department building.
Georgia’s Special Investigation Service has launched an investigation following an alleged physical assault of two cameramen and a reporter of the opposition-minded Formula TV channel, the agency announced on Thursday.