Tabula TV Head, Two Others Detained for Sticking Posters in Tbilisi Center

A screengrab from Rustavi 2 TV footage showing Tabula TV head Tamar Chergoleishvili sticking a poster depicting ex-PM Bidzina Ivanishvili in what appears to be a Gazprom uniform.

Police detained on Friday head of Tbilisi-based Tabula TV, Tamar Chergoleishvili, as well as a producer of the same television station and one more activist when they were sticking posters on a fence and street light pole in downtown Tbilisi as part of a campaign against talks with Gazprom.

They were released couple of hours later and have to appear before the court as they have been charged under the code of administrative offenses.

A protest rally is planned outside government headquarters in Tbilisi on Saturday against announcement of the Georgian Energy Minister last week that Tbilisi would consider gas supplies from Gazprom on top of what the country is already receiving from the Russia’s state-controlled energy giant if the proposal is commercially viable. 

Chergoleishvili and two others were detained close to the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre.

The three persons face charges under the article 150 of the code of administrative offenses, according to a spokesperson for the Interior Ministry.

The charges under this article involve, among others, making graffiti or sticking poster to a fence in public space which is not allocated specifically for this purpose. The offense carries fine of GEL 50 (about USD 21). 

As Chergoleishvili was sticking posters, a police officer was telling her to stop as it was a violation. Chergoleishvili was responding that she was sticking posters where other posters had already been stuck.

After she was released, Chergoleishvili said that the authorities turn a blind eye when tomatoes are tossed at houses of Constitutional Court judges, but “you go immediately behind bars as soon as you upset [ex-PM] Bidzina Ivanishvili.”

“Those are being punished who are confronting Bidzina Ivanishvili,” said Giga Bokeria, one of the leaders of the opposition UNM party, who is married to Chergoleishvili.

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