Yesterday, a healthcare ministry official was handcuffed and charged with taking bribes while news cameras looked on. (He suffered a heart attack afterwards.) Do televised arrests of corrupt officials send the right message?
Thursday, July 3
“No, they don’t. Arrests should be conducted secretly and not in front of video cameras. It isn’t correct form, it’s not polite.”
Khvicha, street vendor, 38
“Maybe. People in top positions must remember they have a responsibility—they should serve us and not think about their pockets.”
Magda, housewife, 57
“Only these televised arrests are broadcast. They’ve banned any information apart from their ‘progressive steps.’ Didn’t they know about this before? I don’t believe it. They simply make these arrests when it’s in their interests.”
Tsira, eye doctor, 51
“History is repeating itself. I get the feeling that I’m living in the Soviet Union watching these mass arrests all the time.”
Marina, usher, 30
“They shouldn’t be arrested in front of the cameras. It seems that they do this for show and not for real reasons.”
Mamuka, builder, 52
“I think all these arrests are simply show for the public and those people arrested are victims of officials’ self-advertisement.”
Ketino, mathematician, 59
“I don’t care about these arrests. They don’t arrest the people who should really be arrested. If they want to restore order they should look closer to home.”
Nugzari, pensioner, 77
“In a way, they do. No one wants to be arrested and blamed for bribery in front of the whole of Georgia. But sometimes things should be done more subtly.”
Nika, unemployed, 31
“This is just PR, I think. There are other things to show on TV than a man having a heart attack after being arrested.”
Goga, doctor, 43
Khvicha, street vendor, 38
“Maybe. People in top positions must remember they have a responsibility—they should serve us and not think about their pockets.”
Magda, housewife, 57
“Only these televised arrests are broadcast. They’ve banned any information apart from their ‘progressive steps.’ Didn’t they know about this before? I don’t believe it. They simply make these arrests when it’s in their interests.”
Tsira, eye doctor, 51
“History is repeating itself. I get the feeling that I’m living in the Soviet Union watching these mass arrests all the time.”
Marina, usher, 30
“They shouldn’t be arrested in front of the cameras. It seems that they do this for show and not for real reasons.”
Mamuka, builder, 52
“I think all these arrests are simply show for the public and those people arrested are victims of officials’ self-advertisement.”
Ketino, mathematician, 59
“I don’t care about these arrests. They don’t arrest the people who should really be arrested. If they want to restore order they should look closer to home.”
Nugzari, pensioner, 77
“In a way, they do. No one wants to be arrested and blamed for bribery in front of the whole of Georgia. But sometimes things should be done more subtly.”
Nika, unemployed, 31
“This is just PR, I think. There are other things to show on TV than a man having a heart attack after being arrested.”
Goga, doctor, 43