27 April 2010, 23:30
Family of "Imedi" report victim plans to sue TV Channel
The family of Gayoz Odishelidze, 51, who died after watching the hoaxed "Imedi" TV report about the "Russian invasion", is going to apply to the Chief Prosecutor's Office urging to start inquiry into the accident.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on March 13 the Georgian "Imedi" TV Company showed a simulated report that a terror act was committed in Tskhinvali against Eduard Kokoity, head of South Ossetia, after which Russian troops invaded Georgia.
As reported by Malkhaz Dzhangirashvili, advocate for the relatives of the late Gayoz, witnesses were interrogated in situ, and it was found out that he "died right during watching the false report in his own house." His last words were: "War begins," and he fell down from his chair. A heart attack was defined as the death cause, as the "Georgia Today" writes.
According to Alexi Odishelidze, the casualty's son, his father was healthy. He worked physically, and in the last nine years he had no problems with his heart, although nine years ago he had a heart attack.
The family demands interrogation of witnesses on the case, including Giorgi Arveladze, boss of the TV Company, and Eka Tsamalashvili, head of the information service. The advocate did not exclude that interrogation of President Mikhail Saakashvili could be necessary, the "Rosbalt" notes.
According to Yuri Vazagashvili, head of the organization "Defend the Life", after the "chronicle" appeared on air, 10 persons died; however, only four cases were confirmed.
