Police arrested two individuals over “violence and threats” after Adjara public broadcaster journalist Koba Partenadze reported being harassed in the coastal city of Batumi.
“One of the detainees, who is accused of violence, physically assaulted an individual in Batumi on August 9 during an altercation,” the Interior Ministry said in an August 11 statement. According to the Ministry, shortly after the incident, another individual, who was also arrested, “threatened to stab [the victim] with a knife.” The Interior Ministry later confirmed to Civil.ge that the two were arrested over the attack on Partenadze.
The arrests came shortly after Partenadze posted a video on Facebook early on August 10 showing him being subjected to insults and threats of stabbing by unidentified individuals, with their number unclear, who are heard using homophobic slurs and pointing to the journalist’s bleached hair. Partenadze said this was not the first time he had faced such treatment.
The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics, a professional organization advocating for journalistic standards and journalists’ rights, called on the Interior Ministry to urgently investigate the repeated attacks and ensure Partenadze’s safety.
The investigation is ongoing under Article 126 of Georgia’s Criminal Code, which covers violence with punishment ranging from a fine to imprisonment of up to a year, or two years if committed by a group, and Article 151, which covers threats with punishment ranging from a fine to imprisonment of up to a year, or up to three years if committed as a group.
In 2023, Partenadze also reported being assaulted at Radio Adjara. At the time, the Adjara TV and Radio Public Broadcaster said an unidentified person had attacked the journalist on the broadcaster’s premises. Partenadze said he had been physically and verbally assaulted and believed he was targeted because of his appearance.
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