Journalists vs. Interior Ministry Case Heard in Court

After two preliminary hearings last month Tbilisi City Court resumed hearing on November 22 into a case filed by a group of journalists and media outlets against the Interior Ministry in connection to attacks on journalists during dispersal of anti-government protest rally on May 26.

Plaintiffs include three journalists, who have sustained physical injuries during the dispersal of the rally, involving two from a news website Netgazeti.ge and a reporter for the Guria News newspaper; as well as media outlets, involving newspaper Batumelebi (which owns Netgazeti.ge); a publisher of the Guria News; news agency InterPressNews and Palitra radio station (two latter outlets are part of the Palitra media holding).

Three plaintiff journalists are demanding from the Interior Ministry to reimburse pecuniary damages related to health treatment after being physically assaulted by the police during the dispersal of the rally; media outlets are demanding reimbursement for equipment damaged during the May 26 events; total amount, as estimated by the plaintiffs, is GEL 5,508.

During the court hearing on November 22, representatives from the Interior Ministry admitted responsibility for physical attacks on journalists and said they would not dispute their demand for reimbursement of cost, which the plaintiffs paid for their treatment in medical centers.

The Interior Ministry, however, disputes the plaintiff media outlets’ claims about the damaged equipment. The Interior Ministry representatives say that there is no sufficient evidence to substantiate the claims that the equipment was damaged by the law enforcement officers.

The court hearing is scheduled to resume on December 12.