Radical groups participating in rally outside Parliament physically attack Imedi TV’s journalists - TV Company calls on leaders of radical opposition to control “as much as possible” groups mobilised by them

Imedi TV on Tuesday condemned in the strongest terms the attacks perpetrated against its TV crews at the rally against the transparency bill outside the Georgian Parliament in Tbilisi.

“Today, the attack on TV crews of Imedi TV once again took a permanent and violent form. Radical groups participating in the rally outside the Parliament, in addition to preventing the journalists [of Imedi TV] from performing their professional duties, physically attack the journalists of Imedi TV. We call on the leaders of the radical opposition and the organisers of the rally to control as much as possible the groups mobilised by them outside the Parliament, so that our TV crews could perform their professional duties”, Imedi TV said in a statement.

“Obstructing journalistic activities is a criminal offence. We also call on law enforcement officers to ensure the safety of journalists. We call on the Public Defender and human rights organisations to express their stance on the facts of the attack on the media”, the statement noted.

Imedi TV on Tuesday addressed the diplomatic corps accredited in Georgia by saying that the pressure on the employees of Imedi TV and their bullying by the domestic radical opposition and the media and NGO organisations affiliated with them went beyond all limits.

Domestic non-governmental organisations and opposition parties are holding a protest rally against the bill on transparency of foreign influence submitted by the parliamentary majority last week, aiming to shed light on external influences on domestic affairs and to enhance transparency in political and civil society activities.

The bill on the transparency of foreign influence aims to ensure that NGOs disclose their annual financial reports, with penalties limited to financial sanctions for non-compliance.