The Batumelebi Protests SOD Attempt to Threaten Newspaper Staff and Meddle into Editorial Independence

The Batumelebi Protests SOD Attempt to Threaten Newspaper Staff and Meddle into Editorial Independence

The Batumelebi newspaper protests the attempts of the Georgian MIA Special Operation Department (SOD) Adjara office to level threats and blackmail the newspaper staff and meddle into the editorial independence of the newspaper; Moreover discrediting the image of the newspaper applying the Georgian stigma in regard to the sexual orientation.

A press conference is scheduled to be held at 18:00 at the Batumelebi office over the issue.

In addition the newspaper is gong to appeal to the Prosecutor's Office requesting to kickstart investigation into yesterday's incident.

On November 25 at around 20:00 hrs Mzia Amaghlobeli, the Batumelebi director, Eter Turadze, Editor-in-chief and Tedo Jorbenadze, coordinator of the journalism investigation team were at the former security ministry premises.

Ahead of reaching the building, approximately half an hour earlier at the Batumelebi office adjacent area Tedo Jorbenadze was met by special service staff asking him to follow them to the department. Tedo Jorbenadze was clarified the staff had some questions over some private issues to be thoroughly discussed at the department.

Tedo Jorbenadze offered them to get to the department himself few minutes later since he had planned a working meeting.

He informed the newspaper management over the aforementioned. At the moment he received a mobile call (the number is identified) being notified he was awaited at the department. During the phone conversation Jorbenadze was clarified the case referred to his sexual partner.

Mzia Amaghlobeli and Eter Turadze accompanied Jorbenadze to the department.

Having arrived at the SOD premises (former security ministry, 4 Griboedov Str, Batumi)  Tedo Jorbenadze was asked to go alone up to the fourth floor. Following his refusal to the request two people (one of them having met him earlier in the street) came out and made him enter the ground floor of the building. The newspaper managers were denied entry into the building hall.

Tedo Jorbenadze was shown black and white printed photos featuring men in underwear. Afterwards he was told the person in the photos was him.

One of the special service representatives told Tedo Jorbenadze, being considered as the Batumelebi deputy editor, since the special services of specific countries, in particular Russia and Turkey, are interested in the edition his help and cooperation is needed.

In response to his refusal Tedo jorbenadze was warned the photos would be sent to his ill father, colleagues and uploaded on the Internet. Following the dissemination of shots he would lose his job or no one would grant him interviews.

Jorbenadze said he wouldn't be threatened through the dissemination of edited shots. Afterwards he left the building.

Few minutes later Tedo Jorbenadze received a phone call from the same number asking him to get back to the building together with the newspaper management. All three of them were taken up to the forth floor of the building.

Eter Turadze asked whether a lawsuit had been instituted against Tedo Jorbenadze. The response was negative.

During the conversation the special service representative told Eter Turadze that Jorbenadze didn't deserve working at the newspaper for being "unscrupulous." But the newspaper editor said she wouldn't let anyone, including special service staff, insult her colleagues.

In addition, the SOD staff told the newspaper management they talked delicately due to respect to the newspaper, unless otherwise "Tedo would have been brought to the department in a different way."

The newspaper is to thoroughly discuss this form of blackmailing, Soviet KGB methods, at the press conference. The Batumelebi is also going to launch legal proceeding in regard to this form of blackmailing.