12:00, 15 April 2004

Georgian TV cameramen beaten up in Adjarian autonomy

A cameraman of the Tbilisi-based Rustavi-2 TV channel was beaten up on April 14 near a bridge across the Choloki River that separates Georgia's autonomous region of Adjaria from the rest of the country. The incident occurred after a crowd of 200 to 300 Adjarians had not allowed the chairman of the Georgian Central Election Commission, Zurab Chiaberashvili, to enter the autonomy on his car.

Rustavi-2 videotaped the beating-up and aired footage from the incident.

One more cameraman working for the channel was beaten up by a group of unknowns in the Kobuleti district of Adjaria on April 14.

His offenders smashed the camera and forcibly took the recording away from the operator.

Members of the crew reported the second incident to the nationwide audiences by telephone right from the Kobuleti district.

Editors note: See also the article "Access to Adjaria denied for Georgian Central Election Commission chairman".

Source: ITAR-TASS News Agency