Confrontation between Georgian Dream and United National Movement supporters in Marneuli, Journalists injured
By Khatia Bzhalava
Thursday, October 1
Series of confrontation took place near the Marneuli District Election Commission on September 29th between the supporters of the ruling Georgian Dream and the opposition United National Movement parties. According to the commission chairman, a group of people tried to break into the commission building, after which, one of the commission members was physically attacked. The police intervened and neutralized the situation. Later, another clash happened during which, a cameraman of Public Broadcaster, two journalists, and two cameramen of Mtavari Arkhi were injured.
According to the commission chairman, a group of people attempted to break into the commission building and obstruct the work of commission members, after which they physically assaulted one of the members.
The supporters and members of the United National Movement (UNM) state that they had gathered in front of the commission building to protest. As the UNM majoritarian candidate, Azer Suleimanov noted, the District Election Commission had held its first meeting the day before and elected chairmen of the precincts, as well as deputies, ‘ in secret,’ (without the UNM), which was the reason for the protest.
Both sides accuse each other of provoking the conflict. The persons involved in the incident have been questioned. The Central Election Commission condemned the facts of ‘violence and attempts to pressurize the DEC’ which took place on September 29th. CEC mentioned a fact of beating a person employed by Marneuli DEC, who asked to explain why he was being filmed without his permission and was beaten in response. Commission also mentioned a fact of an attempt to break into the DEC building by authorized persons and stated that such form of communication is unacceptable for Election Administration (EA).
CEC explained that the accusation towards DEC as if UNM representatives were not informed about holding the first session is not true.
“Every member was well-informed via contacts (telephone numbers) indicated by them, some of whom did not appear at the session and some of whom could not be reached due to the indicated irrelevant telephone number… It is noteworthy that the act of DEC’s Chairperson, upon summoning the first sessions, was publicly posted at DEC’s in a visible place,” reads a statement published by CEC.
EA calls on observers and international organizations to pay close attention to the actions of certain electoral stakeholders that deliberately try to discredit the Election Administration and create a tense pre-electoral environment.
Later that day, another incident took place in Marneuli, which resulted in injuring journalists and a cameraman, as well as the representatives of the UNM.
As Public Broadcaster’s journalist reported, during a physical confrontation between activists of the Georgian Dream and the United National Movement, one of the participants in the incident attacked the cameraman, beat him and smashed his camera. According to Jeikhun Muhamedali, a journalist of Mtavari Arkhi, he was beaten by 5 or 6 individuals, two of whom could be identified.
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, an investigation has been already launched into the incidents, including the fact of unlawful interference with a journalist’s professional activities. As the Director of the Kvemo Kartli police Department, Lasha Gogliashvili stated, search operations are underway, however, no one has been arrested so far.
On the following day, on September 30th, another incident happened, when a specialist of Marneuli headquarter of Election Commission was chased while he was headed to Marneuli. According to one of the leaders of Georgian Dream, Irakli Sesiashvili, the specialist got hit by another car and ‘was beaten mercilessly.’ Sesiashvili believes that the incident is related to the developments of the previous day and thinks that the Georgian Dream’s political opponents are involved in it.
This is not the first time of such a conflict between the Georgian Dream and UNM within the pre-election period. On September 28th, a similar confrontation took place in Bolnisi, which resulted in 10 Georgian Dream members injured. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia has started an investigation into this case as well.
