The incident took place on October 9 at about 01:30 pm at the Pasteur Str. near the office of online media outlet “Netgazeti”. According to the editorial board, about 20 young men were gathered near the office, fighting with each other on political ground. The reporter of “Netgazeti” was recording this confrontation by telephone, when young men demanded him to stop recording. After the phone battery drained, young men verbally abused the journalist and accompanied journalist to the “Netgazeti office with such abuses. The reporter managed to enter the office. 

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According to Netgazeti, police questioned journalist regarding verbal offense.

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On October 9,  MDF made a statement on Interference in Professional Activities of Journalists of Netgazeti.  MDF calls upon the law enforcement bodies to assign respective qualification to the journalists-related incidents that took place in Tbilisi.

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On October 8, unidentified individuals physically abused and damaged cameras of journalists and cameramen of TV Iberia and GDS, while taking away microphone of Rustavi 2 journalist. In addition, as the footage aired in the media shows, the offenders were abusing the majoritarian candidate of United National Movement with homophobic language.

According to the regional edition, Kutaisi Today: "The first Deputy Governor of Imereti, Giorgi Chighvaria, was heading the given task together with the Head of Organizational and HR Management Department of City Assembly, Levan Gogelashvili. Kakha Abzianidze, Gocha Avaliani, Giorgi Svanidze and Gia Jincharadze were spearheading the youngsters’ conflict.”

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Ministry of Internal Affairs started an investigation on this fact with the 187th article of the Criminal Code of Georgia (Damaging or destroying another person's property which has resulted in substantial damage).

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On October 9,  MDF made a statement on Interference in Professional Activities of Journalists of TV Iberia, GDS and Rustavi 2.  MDF calls upon the law enforcement bodies to assign respective qualification to the journalists-related incidents that took place in Kutaisi (TV Iberia, GDS, Rustavi 2). Also, there is a need to investigate the alleged participation of public officers in the above-mentioned events.

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On October 8, during the confrontation at the 48th electoral precinct in Marneuli, the crew of TV Company Imedi was hindered in performing their professional duties: through stonethrowing,
cameraman’s camera was broken. As Nana Lezhava, the head of news service at Imedi TV Company told to MDF, because of the broken camera, the crew was reporting to the TV Company about ongoing events via social network.

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The prosecutor’s office launched an investigation under article 187 (1) (Damage or destruction of others property).

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The Kakheti Information Center reported that its journalist, Gela Mtivlishvili was assaulted physically and verbally by Tsnori Governor Tamaz Mateshvili during the road construction works in Tsnori overnight on September 23. Mtivlishvili said that Mateshvil was under the influence of alcohol.

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The next day, on September 24 Tamaz Mateshvili apologized for the incident and resigned.

Gela Mtivlishvili was explained by police that investigation has been launched under part 2 of article 154 of the criminal code of Georgia, involving unlawful interference with the journalist's professional activities. The offence envisages punishment by a fine or community service from 120 to 140 or with corrective labor for up to two years. The same act committed using threat of violence or official position, shall be punished by a fine or imprisonment for up to two years, with or without the deprivation of the right to hold an official position or to carry out a particular activity for up to three years or without this.

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On August 18, 2016, Davit Mchedlidze, the Editor in Chief of Media.ge was prevented from carrying out his professional activities by policemen. 

Mchedlidze was covering the settlement case in an abandoned building at Gagarini Street in Rustavi. According to Mchedlidze, he asked the permission of recording to the officers of Patrol and Criminal
Police gathered in the room of the abandoned building. Policemen pushed him off the room. During his next attempt to enter the room, Mchedlidze’s camera was on. In a 10 second video, policeman
requested the journalist not to record a video and upheld a hand to the camera device. After that, the recording is terminated.

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The Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation under the Article 154 (Illegal interference in professional activities of journalists) of the Criminal Code and under the Article 333 (Exceeding power).

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Staff changes were made to the newsroom of Imedi TV on June 23, 2016. Maia Tabagari, the head of newsroom, was replaced by journalist Nana Lezhava. Tabagari became a consultant to the director general.

A group of journalists from Imedi TV issued a statement, claiming that replacement of the head of newsroom during the pre-election period would cast doubt on the reputation and reliability of the TV channel and its employees, as well as the quality of freedom of speech.

Shortly before staff changes Irakli Rukhadze was appointed the chairman of the TV channel’s Supervisory Board. Following Rukhadze’s appointment, in order to avoid conflict of interests, his mother, Natela Sakhokia had to quit the Georgian Public Broadcaster’s Board of Trustees.    

Rukhadze’s name is also associated with the issue of changing hands at Maestro TV. A 55% owner of Maestro TV, Giorgi Gachechiladze publicly stated that in order to solve Maestro’s financial problems he contacted the Patarkatsishvili family and his friend, Irakli Rukhadze pledged to assist him. Irakli Rukhadze is the chief executive of Salford Georgia and remains affiliated with the Patarkatsishvili family. Before his official appointment, he was even believed to be an informal manager of Imedi TV. TV anchor, Inga Grigolia hints at Rukhadze’s decision when talking about the closure of her program on Imedi TV.

At various times Nana Lezhava was Rustavi 2 TV reporter, one of the founders of the Movement for United Georgia political party, founder of GNS studio and anchor of TV3 news program.  

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