Kremlin: Russia plotting murder of Georgian journalist ‘absurd’
Russia has dismissed allegations regarding plotting the murder of journalst Giorgi Gabunia.
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The Russian government’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov says that allegations about plotting the murder of well-known Georgian journalist for insulting Putin is absurd.
We have heard allegations (which claim) as if Russia was involved in the incident which is a lie and absurd,” Peskov said.
Russian citizen of Ingush origin Vasambeg Bokov was detained in Tbilisi on Friday for the illegal purchase and possession of fake documents.
Head of opposition-minded TV channel Mtavari Arkhi Nika Gvaramia said that the man was plotting to murder journalist Giorgi Gabunia for insulting Russian President Vladimir Putin last year.
Gvaramia claims that the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, placed the hit on the journalist.
The investigation is ongoing.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia and President Salome Zurabishvili have thanked the State Security Service for preventing a ‘very serious crime’ allegedly against well-known Georgian journalist Giorgi Gabunia which could have sparked tension and provocations in the country.
Kadyrov has called the accusations ‘stupid,’ saying that when he ‘orders something, it is always done.’
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia and President Salome Zurabishvili have thanked the State Security Service for preventing a ‘very serious crime’ allegedly against well-known Georgian journalist Giorgi Gabunia which could have sparked tension and provocations in the country.
Russian citizen of Ingush origin Vasambeg Bokov has been detained in Tbilisi for the illegal purchase and possession of fake documents. Head of the opposition-minded TV channel Mtavari Arkhi Nika Gvaramia claims that the man was plotting to murder journalist Giorgi Gabunia for insulting Russian President Vladimir Putin last year.
TV anchor of Georgian TV channel Rustavi 2, who cursed Russian President Vladimir Putin on his live show yesterday, has been suspended for two months. Rustavi 2 reports that the broadcaster’s regulation body discussed Giorgi Gabunia’s words uttered in the beginning of his TV show ‘P.S.’ and suspended him for two months.
Russian MP Evgeni Primakov calls for a ‘freeze’ on Russia-Georgia relations after an anchor of TV channel Rustavi 2 Giorgi Gabunia used offensive language against Russian President Vladimir Putin. He wrote that Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili condemned the journalist’s behavior, “however, we have not yet heard an apology.”
The State Security Service of Georgia has announced earlier today that an investigation into the planned murder of journalist Giorgi Gabunia is underway. "Dissemination of any information, whether it is true or false, may damage the major public interest - to establish the objective truth, expose every individual involved in the crime and bring them to justice", it stated.
Russian citizen has been sentenced to four years in prison in the case of Georgian Journalist Giorgi Gabunia who insulted Russian President Vladimir Putin on his live show during June 2019 protests in Tbilisi.
Ethnic Chechen-Russian citizen Beslan Iznaur who allegedly is linked to the plotting the murder of Georgian journalist Giorgi Gabunia, has been detained by law enforcers in Turkey on October 9, Radio Liberty’s Chechen service reports. The hit on Gabunia was likely put out after Gabunia verbally insulted Russian President Vladimir Putin on live television.