Wohin versickern #Aserbaidschan’s Ölmilliarden? Das war die Frage des Ökonomen Gubad Ibadoghlu. Die Antwort des Regimes lautet, dass er seitdem ein politisch Verfolgter ist. Ein Besuch im Hausarrest. via @SZ https://t.co/EpZXhw13Jk
— Notes from Georgia/South Caucasus (Hälbig, Ralph) (@SouthCaucasus) December 7, 2024
Day: December 7, 2024
Armenien: Jerewans Jahrtausende alte Geschichte liegt unter dem Pflaster. Von Cornelius Wüllenkemper via @DLF https://t.co/3dEkGiagk2
— Notes from Georgia/South Caucasus (Hälbig, Ralph) (@SouthCaucasus) December 7, 2024
Krawalle (so nennt das die @tagesschau) in Tiflis – scharfe Kritik aus dem Ausland. https://t.co/AxE2b98l1y
— Notes from Georgia/South Caucasus (Hälbig, Ralph) (@SouthCaucasus) December 7, 2024
Wie ein Geschäftsmann Georgien in die Krise treibt. Von Silvia Stöber @tavisupleba via @tagesschau https://t.co/0VwLHwpeIV
— Notes from Georgia/South Caucasus (Hälbig, Ralph) (@SouthCaucasus) December 7, 2024
EU berät über Lage in Tbilisi. Nach Protesten erwägt die EU, Sanktionen in Georgien zu verhängen. EU-Außenbeauftragte Kaja Kallas @kajakallas sprach auch von möglichen Einschränkungen bei der Visavergabe. (01.12.2024) via @tazgezwitscher https://t.co/NGnc7aGyWX
— Notes from Georgia/South Caucasus (Hälbig, Ralph) (@SouthCaucasus) December 7, 2024
Armenien ist akut bedroht. via @ruhrbarone https://t.co/9caExR8Sbg
— Notes from Georgia/South Caucasus (Hälbig, Ralph) (@SouthCaucasus) December 7, 2024
Verfassungsgericht wird Georgien-Wahl nicht annullieren. via @ntvde https://t.co/OUuiwxYsnM
— Notes from Georgia/South Caucasus (Hälbig, Ralph) (@SouthCaucasus) December 7, 2024
In another episode of escalating repression the titushky (government paid thugs) raided the office of the opposition Coalition for Change political alliance, beating at least two of its members- Koba Khabazi and Data Petridis. The TV Pirveli journalist Maka Chikhladze and a cameraman Giorgi Shetsiruli who arrived at the scene to cover the incident were also violently attacked.
The attack happened at around 11 am on December 7, just as the protest rally against GD’s U-turn on EU accession process and growing repressions, was taking place around the corner, on Rustaveli avenue.
The footage taken minutes before the titushky, dressed in all black, their faced covered in masks, raided opposition the Coalition’s office on Besiki street, shows smooth coordination between the police and titushky as they apparently discuss the course of action, with police cars blocking the way into the street while giving way to titushky to enter freely.
After bursting into the office, at least 20 government-paid thugs battered two of the members of the Coalition who were in the hallway, throwing the on the floor and kicking them. The live footage broadcast by Pirveli TV also showed them attack the channel’s crew which arrived at the scene. The footage shows Maka Chikhladze attacked from behind and thrown onto the ground as she is trying to protect the cameraman. Another video taken apparently by a witness shows cameraman Giorgi Shetsiruli laying on the ground and being brutally kicked by 6-7 men.
Meanwhile the witnesses said the patrol police who was nearby had no reaction to the violence attack, and left together with titushky.
Special Investigation Service 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.
Following the attack on Coalition for Change members and TV Pirveli journalists by titushky GD officials, including executive secretary of GD Mamuka Mdinaradze, denied the responsibility, saying the attack was instigated by the opposition itself and is “in the interest of those who needs chaos and unrest.”
The President of Georgia reacted to the attack and wrote on her X account, under hashtag “terrorinGeorgia”: “The brutal regime of Georgian Dream no longer hides its true face, even on live TV. Unthinkable and escalating terror against the media – violence and brutal beatings of journalists simply doing their job!”
Police violence during the recent protests has been characterized by the brutality of reprisals against and targeted attacks on journalists. The December attack on the TV Pirveli journalist takes on a new light taking into account that Maka Khikhladze is the author of the recently aired TV exposé on Ioseb (Soso) Margvelashvili, the “right hand” of the notorious chief of the MIA’s Special Tasks Department, Zviad Kharazishvili. Margvelashvili is the head of one of the so-called “death squads” that disperse and then hunt down demonstrators in the streets of Tbilisi.
The TV report aired last week details his unit’s methods, including the beatings of detained demonstrators, and proves his involvement in the recent violent dispersals, in which everyone, including himself, wearing the black masks, is unidentifiable. However, the cameraman from TV Pirveli managed to film him putting on a mask, with his face clearly visible, just before the dispersal of one of the recent rallies on Chichinadze Street, near the parliament building.
Follow our Chronicle of Repression to find out more.
Also Read:
- 03/12/2024 – Watchdog Details “Inhuman and Degrading Treatment” Against Protesters by Police
- 03/12/2024 – Civil Society Foundation Calls for Immediate Stop to Police Violence
- 02/12/2024 – GYLA: Instead of Maintaining Law and Order, MIA Commits Crimes
- 01/12/2024 – CSOs: Physical Force Used Against Protesters Amounted to Torture
On Friday, 6 December 2024, beginning around 1pm Baku local time, our newsroom lost contact with a number of individuals, some of whom who collaborate with Meydan TV.
While trying to reestablish contact, we learned that these individuals are currently being held at the Baku City Police Department. They are the following:
Khayala Agayeva / Xəyalə Ağayeva
Aytaj Ahmadova (Tapdig) / Aytac Əhmədova (Tapdıq)
Aynur Ganbarova (Elgunesh) / Aynur Qənbərova (Elgünəş)
Ramin Jabrayilzade (Deko) (independent journalist) / Ramin Cəbrayılzadə
Natig Javadli / Natiq Cavadlı
Aysel Umudova
The homes of some of the journalists named above were searched, and personal equipment and some of their belongings were seized.
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ramin Jabrailzade (Deko) was detained based on information received regarding the illegal import of foreign currency into the country. In addition, several individuals were detained as part of the investigation. Ramin Deko works as an independent journalist and reporter.
We as the management of Meydan TV, firmly state that the detention and interrogation of our journalists is illegal, and we refute all accusations.
Since the day we started our activities over a decade ago, our brave journalists have been arrested, and they and their families have been subjected to persecution. Journalists who cooperate with us have been illegally banned from leaving the country, and have been surveilled by Pegasus spyware, among other forms of pressure.
Our website has been officially banned within the country’s borders since 2017, and Oor social media channels have repeatedly been subjected to cyberattacks.
Despite these attempts to silence us, we at Meydan TV have continued our work as journalists, publicized the events taking place in the country and the problems of ordinary citizens, and have done this all free of censorship.
Our goal has always been to be an independent and alternative media organization in Azerbaijan, informing our audience daily. The pressures and accusations against us since our establishment are groundless, and these novel attacks will neither silence us nor stop our work.
The post Meydan TV’s statement regarding latest arrests of journalists appeared first on MEYDAN.TV.
On Friday, 6 December 2024, beginning around 1pm Baku local time, our newsroom lost contact with a number of individuals, some of whom who collaborate with Meydan TV.
While trying to reestablish contact, we learned that these individuals are currently being held at the Baku City Police Department. They are the following:
Khayala Agayeva / Xəyalə Ağayeva
Aytaj Ahmadova (Tapdig) / Aytac Əhmədova (Tapdıq)
Aynur Ganbarova (Elgunesh) / Aynur Qənbərova (Elgünəş)
Ramin Jabrayilzade (Deko) (independent journalist) / Ramin Cəbrayılzadə
Natig Javadli / Natiq Cavadlı
Aysel Umudova
The homes of some of the journalists named above were searched, and personal equipment and some of their belongings were seized.
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ramin Jabrailzade (Deko) was detained based on information received regarding the illegal import of foreign currency into the country. In addition, several individuals were detained as part of the investigation. Ramin Deko works as an independent journalist and reporter.
We as the management of Meydan TV, firmly state that the detention and interrogation of our journalists is illegal, and we refute all accusations.
Since the day we started our activities over a decade ago, our brave journalists have been arrested, and they and their families have been subjected to persecution. Journalists who cooperate with us have been illegally banned from leaving the country, and have been surveilled by Pegasus spyware, among other forms of pressure.
Our website has been officially banned within the country’s borders since 2017, and Oor social media channels have repeatedly been subjected to cyberattacks.
Despite these attempts to silence us, we at Meydan TV have continued our work as journalists, publicized the events taking place in the country and the problems of ordinary citizens, and have done this all free of censorship.
Our goal has always been to be an independent and alternative media organization in Azerbaijan, informing our audience daily. The pressures and accusations against us since our establishment are groundless, and these novel attacks will neither silence us nor stop our work.
The post Meydan TV’s statement regarding latest arrests of journalists appeared first on MEYDAN.TV.