According to the information reported by internet publication Livepress.ge and provided to Media Legal Defense Center, representatives of the Ministry of Defense of Georgia held a meeting with local population to discuss issues related to Reserve Military Service in Zugdidi Theatre; however, Livepress.ge was prohibited from attending the meeting; neither was it provided with verbal information about the meeting.

At the end of the meeting, journalists were trying to obtain information by interviewing participants who were exiting the building but a representative of the Defense Ministry, Mamuka Iosava took away their camera and deleted recorded material, stating illegal arguments.

Yesterday internet publication netgazeti.ge released information on the Ministry of Defense apologizing about the noted fact.

GYLA’s Media Legal Defense Center categorically calls on the Ministry of Defense to also institute disciplinary proceedings against Mamuka Osiava, as his actions reveal signs of not only disciplinary violation but of crime as well, since he arbitrarily deleted the footage obtained by journalists and did not allow them to provide public with objective and comprehensive information.

We believe that creating and ensuring freedom of media guarantees is the function of the authorities in the first place, and they should give strictest response to arbitrary actions and abuse of official power by civil servants.