AP team works tirelessly to report on violent clashes in Georgia over suspension of EU talks

By Sophiko Megrelidze, Zura Muradov and Zurab Tsertsvadze

When the Georgian government declared its decision to suspend negotiations to join the European Union, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets demanding the decision be reversed, facing down a police response that included water cannons, tear gas and pepper spray. From the first moments and for days afterward, AP’s Tbilisi team of producer Sophiko Megrelidze, freelance cameraman Zura Muradov and freelance photographer Zurab Tsertsvadze worked around the clock to get out powerful words and images of the increasingly intense actions of riot police and the fervor and determination of demonstrators, some of whom fought back with fireworks.

It all exploded in the streets outside the country’s parliament after the newly elected Georgian Dream party declared its decision to put EU accession talks on hold. The opposition and the country’s pro-Western president have fought that move and even disputed the Dream Party’s election, accusing the governing party of rigging the vote with Moscow’s help.

More than 200 protesters were detained and some reported injuries including broken bones.

AP’s reporting was complicated because at some points in the protests police appeared to be targeting journalists. That didn’t stop Megrelidze from sending regular feeds, soundbites and color to the remote Moscow desk in Tallinn and London, where editors pulled together the text story.

And the team even managed to find time to arrange an all-formats interview with the incumbent President, Salome Zourabichvili, who has condemned the actions of the police and said she will refuse to stand down when a new president is inaugurated at the end of the December.

Best of the Week judges were extremely impressed by just how much top-notch journalism was produced by such a small AP team.

For tireless, courageous reporting in the midst of often-dangerous protests that went on for days, Megrelidze, Muradov and Zurab Tsertsvadze are the Best of the Week’s — First Winner.

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