32 journalists injured during June 20 rally, media demands investigation
One of the journalists injured during the demonstration. Photo: Georgian Charter of Journalist Ethics.
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32 journalists received injuries during the June 20 demonstration in Tbilisi, many of them were shot by rubber bullet shots, the Georgian Charter of Journalist Ethics said earlier today.
Journalists say that several law enforcers were deliberately shooting at them when they could identify they were journalists and were carrying out their duties,” reads the statement.
The Georgian Charter of Journalist Ethics has demanded the identification of law enforcers who acted in a “violent manner and deliberately suppressed,” journalists.
The statement urged the diplomatic corps and international organisations to “effectively react” to the violation of journalists’ rights during the rally.
A rally triggered by the presence of Russian MPs in the Georgian parliament was dispersed yesterday by police after demonstrators ignored the appeal of the Interior Ministry to obey law enforcers and decided to break into the parliament building.
The Georgian Patriarchate says the government made a mistake which made people rally in central Tbilisi yesterday and that the opposition has been making ‘incorrect calls’ which gave rise to tensions during the demonstration.
Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović has called on "all sides" of the clashes in Tbilisi to "resolve any controversies through peaceful dialogue" after the confrontation left 240 individuals injured on Thursday night.
14 protesters out of those detained during clashes with police last night have been sentenced to 12 days of administrative detention. They were sentenced for hooliganism and clashes with the police.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Irakli Kobakhidze has resigned amid public protests after a Russian MP addressed the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy from the chair of the Georgian parliament speaker in Tbilisi yesterday.
Human Rights Watch has reacted to the June 20 demonstration in Tbilisi, triggered by the presence of Russian MPs in Georgia, and urged the Georgian government to investigate the use of force during the rally which left 240 injured.
240 individuals were hospitalised after yesterday’s rally in Tbilisi, many of them with minor injuries, 80 were law enforcers, Deputy Health Minister Zaza Bokhua stated earlier today while visiting patients at the Ingorokva Clinic in Tbilisi.
International media outlets have responded to the June 20 developments in Tbilisi where people held a protest rally during the visit of Russian MPs to Tbilisi. The BBC reports that Georgian opposition MPs called for protests in response to Russian MP Gavrilov’s decision to deliver a speech from the parliamentary speaker's seat.
The United National Movement opposition party says that a demonstration on Rustaveli Avenue will be held at 7 p.m. today as the current Georgian Dream state leadership “has turned into a regime,” and the Georgian people “no longer want their leadership.” The opposition has three demands regarding top officials and elections.
The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir denounced “the violent incidents and mistreatment of media workers” during the June 20’s demonstration in Tbilisi, saying that “journalists’ safety must be ensured at all times”.
Mako Gomuri, 18, who lost her eye during the June 20 Tbilisi protests, will be provided with medical treatment abroad, Georgian government official Sozar Subari said. He stated the Georgian government will do its best for all the injured to recover.
Thirteen people remain hospitalized out of the 240 who were injured during June 20 Tbilisi protests. Head of Emergency Management Center of Georgia Avtandil Talakvadze said two of the injured are in intensive care department.
Tbilisi City Court denied bail for Moris Machalikashvili, in addition to Ilia Memanishvili and Gogi Kurdovanidze and has left them in pretrial detention for possible incitement to violence during the June 20 rally in Tbilisi.
Tbilisi City Court has obliged the Georgian Interior Ministry to pay victim of the June 20, 2019 Tbilisi protest Luka Petriashvili a total of 35,000 GEL, his lawyer Beka Basilaia has announced earlier today.