(JuHI/IFEX) – According to the Independent Association of Georgian Journalists (IAGJ), based in Tbilisi, Malkhaz Gulashvili, the president of the Georgian Times Media Holding company, was the recent target of a death threat. On 8 May 2003, Gulashvili told journalists that a high-ranking official had confided in him that someone was planning to kill him. […]
(JuHI/IFEX) – According to the Independent Association of Georgian Journalists (IAGJ), based in Tbilisi, Malkhaz Gulashvili, the president of the Georgian Times Media Holding company, was the recent target of a death threat.
On 8 May 2003, Gulashvili told journalists that a high-ranking official had confided in him that someone was planning to kill him. This is the second time in the last month that Gulashvili has received threats.
“It is the power structures that want to get rid of me. The person who is responsible for planning my physical liquidation penetrated one of the opposition parties,” Gulashvili told reporters.
Georgian Times Media Holding is one of the most influential media companies in Georgia. It owns four newspapers, including “Tribuna” and “Georgian Times”, and a couple of Internet sites. High-ranking officials often confront the media company because of articles published in its newspapers.
The company’s newspapers were sued three times in the past two months, including by the head of the Ajara Autonomous Republic’s Supreme Council.
“This is a very well planned campaign against the media company. Its aim is to eradicate freedom of speech,” declared the IAGJ.
“This is an alarming situation. Certain forces [apparently] wish to get rid of Malkhaz Gulashvili and eradicate the independent media. We call upon law enforcement agencies to take all possible measures to protect Malkhaz Gulashvili and other journalists. The Prosecutor General’s Office must promptly launch an investigation into this case. We also call upon the Georgian president to intervene in the matter. The government has to understand that it will be held fully responsible for any possible outcomes if the situation deteriorates even further,” the IAGJ said in a 9 May statement.
The association also warned of possible attacks against journalists in the period leading up to elections and cautioned all publishers to be especially careful during this time.
The IAGJ noted with concern that certain political parties have been “negotiating” with a number of newspapers. “Certain political forces are trying to bribe the mass media and use the media outlets for their own political purposes. Some opposition political parties are pouring funds into the newspapers. In response, the newspapers publish articles calling on the public to overthrow the government. One such opposition party funds the ‘Kmara’ (‘It is enough’) programme and tries to involve several media outlets in their dirty campaign,” the IAGJ stated.
