Georgian oppositional TV channels restarted

Today in the afternoon, the Tbilisi-based oppositional TV channels "Maestro" and "Kavkasia" resumed their broadcasting interrupted yesterday in protest against actions of the police. This was reported by Mamuka Glonti, Director General of "Maestro".

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the Georgian TV channels stopped their broadcasting on June 15 after the clash of policemen with oppositionists at the Tbilisi GUVD, where Zurab Abashidze, one of the leaders of the "Alliance for Georgia" was wounded. As a result of the confrontation, journalists also suffered.

Sources in "Kavkasia" report that in the course of the incident cameraman Temur Pandashvili was severely beaten by policemen; Georgiy Kobakhidze also suffered. Policemen confiscated a camera and cassettes, where the dispersal of the action was filmed. Besides, two more cameras were taken away from "Maestro" journalists.

"We restart broadcasting, but should in future at least one journalist suffer from the police, we'll implement our plan. I'll make everything possible to persuade all Georgia's media to hold a strike until head of the MIA Vano Merabishvili resigns," the "News-Georgia" quotes Mr Glonti as saying.

Both the leaders of the opposition and the authorities of the country asked the channels to restart broadcasting.

Today, David Bakradze, head of the parliament, again apologized to journalists on behalf of Georgian leadership, having treated the actions preventing journalists to execute their professional duties as outrageous.

Mr Bakradze has also noted that the authorities will make efforts to reveal the policemen who exceeded their powers at dispersal of the action.

Already yesterday the MIA of Georgia expressed official apologies to journalists; today it became known that three policemen were dismissed, as noted by the "Polit.ru".

"In Georgia, journalists demand ensuring freedom of mass media," "Director general of the TV company "Maestro" claims the explosion in Tbilisi may have been connected with the film about Ghirgvliany."