The
declaration of Independent Association of Georgian Journalists (IAGJ) concerning
the arrest of Georgian journalists in Beslan (North Caucasus)
September
7, 2004
Independent Association of Georgian Journalists which enlists more
then 150 representatives of the media expresses its concern over the arrest of
Georgian journalists in Beslan and blames the Russian government in attempt to
hide the information over the tragedy that occurred on September 1st in Beslan.
On
September 1st, the Russian Law-Enforcers and the representatives of the foreign
department detained Nana Lezhava the correspondent of Georgian TV Company Rustavi2
and Levan Tetvadze the cameraman of the same company. The journalists were reporting
the developing event from Beslan since September 1st.
As the members of
IAGJ cleared out the journalists have identification cards with the permission
of entering Russia without visas, namely the journalists were registered in Kazbegi
the neighboring territory of Russia which offers the citizens simplified visa
regime.
The Russian border guards and the representatives of the custom service
let the Georgian journalists to cross the border of North Ossetia so it was all
legal.
The Georgian journalists were arrested by the Russian Law-Enforcers
and the representatives of the Foreign Ministry on Saturday, September 4 in Beslan.
According to the preliminary information, the journalists were blamed of having
no accreditation and visas.
During these days the journalistic activities of
Nana Lezhava were restricted for several times by the Russian Law-Enforcers.
According
to the information available for us, the equipment and the video records were
confiscated from the journalists. Russian Law-Enforcers expressed their dissatisfaction
over the Georgian origin of Lezhava. IAGJ also cleared out the facts about the
restriction of work of the foreign journalists in Beslan as well. On September
1st the correspondent of the Radio Freedom Andrey Babitcki was detained in Moscow
airport. Babitcki was going to cover the events from Beslan. The journalist of
"Novaia Gazeta" Politovskaia was also going to Beslan but was poisoned
in vague circumstances. All these events speak about the reasonable activities
of Russian Special Services.
IAGJ considers that all the activities of
Russian Law-Enforcers are aimed to hide the truth of the Beslan tragedy from the
population. "The arrest of Nana Lezhava, the correspondent of Georgian TV
Company Rustavi2 and Levan Tetvadze, the operator and also hindering the work
of the foreign journalists by the Russian Special Services is aimed to hide the
objective truth about the tragedy in Beslan. As it seems the Russian government
strives not to let people know the truth" declared the president of Independent
Association of Georgian Journalists Zviad Pochkhua.
According to IAGJ,
the arrest of Georgian journalists and the confiscation of the materials obtained
by them breaches the international rights of the journalists and at the same time
hinders the spreading of the objective information about the developments in Beslan.
"The
people has right to know the truth especially about the Beslan tragedy which deprived
the lives of hundreds of children and shocked the world" Zviad Pochkhua said.
On
September 5, IAGJ appealed to the international organizations, diplomatic missions
and Human Rights Organizations to interfere in the developing events as soon as
possible.
IAGJ also appealed to the Russian Journalists Association and the
population to express their protest concerning the arrest of the journalists.
Independent
Association of Georgian Journalists is the member of the International Federation
of Journalists since 2000; IAGJ is the founder and the full member of the Media
Organization's network of the South Caucasus and Middle Asia since 2002; IAGJ
is also the member of the non-governmental organization of Caucasus since 2003.
For the additional
information please contact us:
Email:
iagj@ip.osgf.ge
http://www.iagj.org.ge
Also
see IFJ protest letter>>
IAGJ
is the member of International Federation of Journalists
