MEDIA: Georgia: Correspondent of the New York Times Detained in Akhalgori District (cascfen.net)

…was Returned to Georgian-controlled Territory

Media.ge, Tbilisi, 28 Mar 2009 - According to Tskhinvali-based Information and Print Committee, correspondent of the New York Times Christopher John Chivers, who according to Tskhinvali Security Committee was detained near the village of Mosabruni (Akhalgori district) in the morning of March 27, is now on Georgian-controlled territory.

According to the Security Committee of self-proclaimed South Ossetia, after questioning the journalist was told that activities in South Ossetia are regulated by special provisions and accreditation rules.

“According to those rules, foreign journalists must notify Information and Print Committee and get corresponding accreditation 3 days before visiting South Ossetia. After the conversation the journalist was returned to Georgian territory where he still is” – Security Committee officials say.

According to preliminary reports, two foreign journalists were detained in the village of Mosabruni.

This is not the first time that the journalists that accessed the territory of breakaway South Ossetia from Georgian-controlled areas were detained. For example after the August war of 2008 several Georgian journalists were detained in Tskhinvali and Akhalgori districts controlled by Russian army.

source: www.cascfen.net