Mr. President Saakashvili ,

19. July. 2011 -- Brussels, Belgium -- Freedom of expression organisations are seriously concerned about the arrest of a group of photo-correspondents in Georgia.

Four photojournalists were arrested in Tbilisi on 7 July on allegations of "spying on behalf of foreign intelligence services or organisations". The reporters are to stand trial in September.

"Accusations of spying against journalists should not be made lightly," said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President. "We are concerned that our colleagues' case has been classified top secret which limits their ability to properly answer charges brought against them." 



According to the Independent Association of Georgian Journalists (IAGJ), an IFJ affiliate, Georgian security forces  arrested in the early hours of 7 July Zurab Kurtsikidze, a photographer for the European Pressphoto Agency, Shakh Aivazov of the Associated Press, freelance Giorgi Abdaladze and presidential photographer Irakli Gedenidze together with his wife Natia Gedenidze, also a photographer. The police released later on the same day Shakh Aivazov and Natia Gedenidze. 

Media reports say that the remaining photojournalists were remanded in custody on 9 July by a court in the capital, Tbilisi , pending their trial which is scheduled to begin on 1 September 2011.

The reporters who are charged with "espionage, gathering information or transfer on behalf of foreign intelligence service or foreign organization to the detriment of interests of Georgia" were denied bail by the court.

The IAGJ condemned the arrests and called on Georgian President Michael Saakashvili to intervene in this case to secure release on bail. The union says the arrests may be related to the photographers' work, quoting Giorgi Abdaladze who reportedly said his arrest was linked to some photos he took on 26 May of police using violence against anti-government protesters.



The IFJ supports the IAGJ' call and says photographers are under stricter scrutiny in repressive regimes which are desperate to stop images likely to show the government in poor light from reaching the outside world.

"The Georgian government has made a great deal of his democratic rule in the region," said Beth Costa, IFJ General Secretary. "This is a test case to prove its genuine commitment to the rule of law and tolerance of criticism. The photojournalists are entitled to the presumption of innocence and should be released to defend themselves as free men in a public trial."

Unfortunately, we have to state that the Georgian government used very tough measures without providing the public with sufficient evidence to ground the strict actions against the journalists.

These actions are contrary to your commitment on principles of democracy and transparency, and negatively influence your image as of the state leader, as well as the image of the state.

We believe that presently this case needs much more transparency, with giving all the necessary evidence confirming the accusations. We also call on the Georgian government to consider changing the preventive punishment, which was chosen for our colleagues.

We hope that the Georgian authorities will guarantee a just examination of the case and public trial, and, in such a way, will prove its commitment to principles of a jural state.

The following organisations support this statement:

Beth Costa, general Secretary, International Federation of Journalists

Victoria Sjumar, executive director of the Institute of Mass Information, Ukraine 


Zviad Pochkhua, president of the Independent Association of Journalists of Georgia

Roman Skrypin, head of the Independent Media Trade Union, Ukraine 


Yuri Lukanov, head of the Kyiv Independent Media Trade Union, Ukraine 


Iegor Sobolev, director of Svidomo journalist investigation bureau.


Igor Chaika, director of NGO Media projects studio “Guards of Democracy”, Ukraine ,


Natalia Sokolenko, head of Mediafront trade union, Ukraine

Natalya Lygachova, head of Telekritika NGO, Ukraine
Taras Shevchenko, head of the Institute of Media Law, Ukraine 


Ivan Krasikov, head of the Independent Association of Journalists of Ukraine

Andrey Bastunets, deputy head of the Belarus Association of Journalists


Mushfig Alasgarli, head of the Union of Journalists of Azerbaijan


Volodymyr Prytula, head of the Freedom of Speech Monitoring Committee, Crimea, Ukraine 


Lasha Tugushi, head of the Association of Press of Georgia

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