Casting doubts over the reliability of the media in the South Caucasus, TOL Georgia says that an earlier report about one protester dying as a result of the clash in Tbilisi last week has been removed from the pro-opposition news source. During the April 2004 crackdown on opposition protests in Armenia, the pro-opposition A1 Plus outlet also reported that there were deaths, but did not issue a correction when it turned out there were actually none.
Cancel this reply
3 comments
I would not say that the source that wrote about the story is pro-opposition, it is more like pro-governemt.
Resistance Georgia blog claims that this information was confirmed by a “reliable source”.
My understanding is that the Georgian Times is an anti-Saakashvili media outlet. That’s what I remember from 2004 for sure, and a quick search on the Internet revealed the following:
http://www.bhhrg.org/CountryReport.asp?ChapterID=777&CountryID=10&ReportID=252&keyword
http://www.jamestown.org/publications_details.php?volume_id=401&issue_id=3032&article_id=2368328
Unless something has changed since then, I though it was still pro-opposition and vert critical of Saakashvili’s government unless someone wants to explain otherwise (maybe it was bought out or whatever). That’s why I’m going to believe this story when Reuters, AFP or the BBC report this alleged death.
Actually, I’ve taken a look at the Resistance Georgia post on the alleged death and the source quoted is the same which is now no longer available online. The reliable sources instead refer to protesters in critical condition in hospital. However, it should be pointed out that Resistance Georgia is an anti-Saakashvili blog. So far there has been no mention of it in any foreign news reports.