Georgian police beat journalists and damage their equipment during crackdown on protesters in Tbilisi – videos
Pravda Ukraine
Georgian police used force against journalists during a crackdown on a rally in Tbilisi on the night of 28-29 November, leaving 15 media representatives injured.
Source: European Pravda, citing information from Georgian media
Details: Special forces cracked down on a protest against the government’s sharp anti-Western turnaround.
Radio Tavisupleba reported that police had acted aggressively towards journalists, with some being beaten and others sprayed with special agents.
In particular, journalist and TV presenter Guram Rogava from the Formula TV channel was assaulted, sustaining head injuries that left him with a bleeding nose and mouth.
Formula TV journalist and presenter Guram Rogava is seen in blood after being beaten by the Police during the violent crackdown on demonstration against aborting Georgia’s EU accession pic.twitter.com/XUyScJN6AO
— Formula NEWS | English (@FormulaGe) November 29, 2024
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Georgian Service posted footage showing the moment of the attack on Rogava.
A video showing a cameraman from the Pirveli TV channel falling to the ground with his camera was also shared on social media.
Police runs in crowd. Tv pirveli cameraman on the ground pic.twitter.com/sZoDPN2CCo
— Mariam Nikuradze (@mari_nikuradze) November 28, 2024
As reported by the publika.ge portal, around 15 media workers from various outlets were injured as a result of the police’s actions at the rally. Some of the journalists required medical treatment due to exposure to tear gas, which affected their eyes.
Other journalists sustained more severe injuries. For instance, Alexander Keshelashvili, a journalist from publika.ge, had his nose broken and his equipment confiscated. He was also detained by the police.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili responded to the violence by stating that she stood with the Georgian media, “against which disproportionate force is being used”.
Background:
- On the night of 28-29 November, Georgian security forces used tear gas and water cannons to disperse a protest in Tbilisi, which had erupted following the government’s decision to “suspend” EU accession talks.
- The protests in Tbilisi and other cities across Georgia were triggered by a statement from Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, announcing that the country was halting negotiations on EU membership until the end of 2028.
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