Government Denies having Links to Attacks on Journalists

President Mikheil Saakashvili?s spokesman Gela Charkviani said on September 7 that the President instructed law enforcers to promptly investigate the recent cases of attacks against journalists in the country.

Correspondent for the Tbilisi-based Akhali Versia newspaper in the Shida Kartli region Saba Chichikashvili was attacked by unknown men and beaten up in the town of Gori on September 6. Irakli Kakabadze, who serves as an occasional anchor for the 202 television station’s political talk-show ?Debates,? was also attacked and beaten up by unknown assailants during the night of September 7. Opponents say that the authorities were behind both of these incidents.

?Such an accusation is absolutely groundless. The government itself is interested in finding out the truth,? Gela Charkviani said at a news conference.

President Saakashvili said on September 7 that the attacks can be considered ?a provocation? which should be investigated. He said that the Georgian authorities are determined to protect freedom of speech, ?and I am proud of this,? added Saakashvili.

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