Georgian Government Paid Thugs Attack Journalists and Opposition Members
On December 7, government paid thugs (titushky) violently attacked TV Pirveli journalist Maka Chikhladze and cameraman Giorgi Shetsiruli. The titushky also raided the office of the opposition Coalition for Change, beating at least two of its members.
The attack happened at around 10:00 pm as a protest rally was taking place nearby. The journalists were attacked while trying to report on beatings by titushky in the area. One video shows Maka Chikhladze being thrown onto the ground and another shows cameraman Giorgi Shetsiruli being kicked by several men.
The titushky took the camera and microphone from the journalists, but did not return them. Witnesses said that patrol police nearby had no reaction to the violence attack. A video taken before the incident showed smooth coordination between the police and titushky as they discussed their actions.
After attacking the journalists, the titushky entered the Coalition for Change office and beat two of its members. The Special Investigation Service (SIS) said it opened an investigation into the attack. However, several hours after the attack, no police or SIS personnel were seen on the crime scene.
The President of Georgia reacted to the attack, calling the regime “brutal” and saying that it was unacceptable to attack journalists doing their job. The government has denied responsibility for the attack, claiming it was instigated by the opposition.
This is not an isolated incident. Police violence during recent protests has been characterized by brutality against journalists. Maka Chikhladze’s attack takes on a new light as she is also the author of a recent TV exposé on the government’s handling of protests.
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