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Saakashvili’s ally in Odessa indicted by Georgia

Gia Lortkipanidze (Ipn)
Gia Lortkipanidze (Ipn)

TBILISI, DFWatch–The Prosecutor General’s Office of Georgia (POG) has indicted a former Georgian official and Odessa governor confidant in Ukraine for directing a brutal dispersal of opposition rally back in 2011.

Gia Lortkipanidze, a deputy of then omnipotent

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Ex-official has no time to answer questions about police brutality in 2011

Gia Lortkipanidze (Ipn)
Gia Lortkipanidze doesn’t have time to answer questions about policy brutality on May 26, 2011, because he has to hold a speech in the parliament in Ukraine. (Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–A former Georgian government official has refused to travel from Ukraine to Georgia to answer questions about a violent dispersal of anti-government protesters five and a half years ago.

Gia Lortkipanidze is head of police in Ukraine’s Odessa region,

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Amnesty: Georgia is not investigating police brutality

The police brutality on May 26, 2011, is criticized by Amnesty for having been insufficiently investigated.

TBILISI, DFWatch – Amnesty International criticizes Georgia for not having investigated police brutality.

The Saakashvili regime has renewed the country’s law enforcement personnel since seizing power in 2003, and is touting the reform as a model for other countries.

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Stop the harassment of journalists, say Tbilisi protesters

Activists in Tbilisi recollected how four photographers who documented police brutality were accused of being Russian spies in June 2011. (Photo: Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch – ‘I am a reporter, not a spy’; ‘we want free media’ – these were some of the slogans seen during a demonstration in Tbilisi Thursday to mark World Press Freedom Day.

The first rally started at 12:00 noon. Protesters symbolically tied their eyes,

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Report: Press freedom is declining in Georgia

TBILISI, DFWatch – Georgia is no longer the leading country in the South Caucasus in terms of media freedom, according to Reporters Without Borders. Georgia is on a shared 104th place among the 179 countries listed. Last year, Georgia was number 100 on Press Freedom Index, as the ranking list is called. This year’s lower … Read more

Journalists compensated for May 26 violence

TBILISI, DFWatch – Three of the journalists who were beaten and shot by police on May 26, 2011, will be fully compensated for health expenses and partly have their lost equipment compensated. Tbilisi City Court announced the decision Monday. In addition four media companies will be compensated. Batumelebi Ltd will be fully compensated for lost … Read more

Journalists get compensation for May 26 injuries

TBILISI, DFWatch – Georgia’s Interior Ministry will pay compensation to journalists who went to court for injuries they suffered when police dispersed a peaceful demonstration on May 26 this year. Today Tbilisi City Court reviewed the appeal of the case of journalists from different Georgian media units who asked for compensation for injures to themselves … Read more