UPDATE: 53 journalists attacked by right wing activists protesting Tbilisi pride today
Head of the New Hospitals emergency service Mikheil Beriashvili said that the patient had a head injury and a broken nose. Photo: Mediachecker.
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Updated at: 21:54
A total of 53 representatives of various media outlets have been injured while covering the rally of right wing activists against the Tbilisi Pride march that was scheduled for today, based on the Interior Ministry.
Earlier at 19:38
Mediachecker had previously reported that there were 47 journalists injured.
A polish journalist was also attacked today while he was performing his professional duties. He was transferred to Aladashvili Clinic with chest injuries.
A Palitranews cameraman who was attacked by right wing activists earlier today has undergone an operation at New Hospitals and is being taken to the med ward at this time.
Rustavi 2 announced it will not cover events organised by right-wing groups starting today, amid the violence against journalists at the Tbilisi Pride march counter rally. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Head of the New Hospitals emergency service Mikheil Beriashvili said that the patient had a head injury and a broken nose.
In addition, there was one journalist with an injured eye ... another three journalists are undergoing examinations right now", he said.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili visited the New Hospitals to see the injured journalist. She expressed her solidarity towards all journalists attacked today and condemned the violence.
I visited the injured, four journalists were brought here. One of them has already been discharged, and one has undergone surgery.... we no longer know what our core values are and seem to have forgotten the tolerance that would follow us for centuries", Zurabishvili said.
A cameraman of Rustavi 2 TV is still at Aladashvili clinic with a severe concussion.
TV Pirveli has published this video on its Facebook page, showing how activists beat a journalist on air:
Some of them received medical treatment on the spot, while others were taken to hospitals.
These people came to insult us. We did not say anything to them, but one person came from behind, twisted my arm behind my back and dragged me for a few minutes", journalist of Mtavari Arkhi Irakli Bakhtadze who has a broken arm told Rustavi 2.
Police are looking into the incident.
Director of Tbilisi Pride Giorgi Tabagari says right-wing groups could not have mobilised their forces to disrupt pride events today without support from state.
Georgian president condemns violence during today’s events
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has released a statement following today's events in the capital city of Tbilisi in which she condemns the violence and persecution of people on the basis of difference of opinion, sexuality or gender identity.
Georgian TV channel Rustavi 2 will not cover events organised by right-wing groups starting today, amid the violence against journalists at the Tbilisi Pride march counter rally. The TV channel also calls on the Ministry of Internal Affairs to immediately investigate criminal offences against the employees of the TV station.
A polish journalist has been stabbed on Khetagurovi Street in Tbilisi, reports Formula TV.
The ruling Georgian Dream party says that ‘political interests’ and not the interests of the LGBT community stood behind today's Tbilisi Pride march.
Senaki and Chkhorotskhu Metropolitan Shio Mujiri, who is Patriarch Ilia II’s ‘locum tenens’ has addressed the crowd at Kashveti Church after the violent attacks of the right-wing groups, that the Georgian society will again unite against LGBT activities anytime in the future.
Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze has called everyone to refrain from violent attacks against 'adults, women, tourists' following today's demonstration of right-wing groups against LGBT people and their supporters.
State officials, current and former diplomats and media rights organisations have been reacting to the developments in Tbilisi on Monday, where a right-wing demonstration against a planned Tbilisi Pride march for queer rights attacked reporters gathered to cover the eventually cancelled event before also storming offices of Pride organisers.
A Polish journalist who was stabbed on July 5 during the outbreak of violence at the Tbilisi Pride counter rally is in stable condition following surgery, surgeon of Aladashvili Clinic Kakha Dangadze told Formula TV today.
Police have detained four more right-wing activists for attacking journalists at the Tbilisi Pride counter rally on July 5.
Giorgi Khmaladze, detained for stabbing a Polish journalist on Khetagurovi Street on July 5, will face criminal charges. Prosecutor Giorgi Shaishmelashvili said that Khmaladze has been convicted of robbery in the past, and asked Tbilisi City Court to refuse him bail.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has condemned violence against more than 50 journalists at the Tbilisi Pride counter rally on July 5 committed by right-wing protesters. He also underlined that all individuals will be identified and all guilty parties will be brought to justice.
Journalists of various media outlets have held rallies in Tbilisi and Batumi before the start of the Batumi International Conference , stating that they will be in danger while Irakli Garibashvili is the Prime Minister of Georgia.
Georgian Public Defender Nino Lomjaria has responded to frequent attacks on journalists during the last weeks in Georgia, noting that instead of condemning such actions, political officials often show disrespectful attitude towards journalists.
US Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Jim Risch has expressed his disappointment over violent attacks on journalists at the Tbilisi Pride counter rally on July 5 and the appointment of judges to the Supreme Court ‘in contravention of the EU-mediated agreement.’ Risch spoke about the physical assault of 53 journalists by right-wing protesters of the Tbilisi Pride march counter rally in the country’s capital and the death of TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava.
Anchor of the Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) Irakli Absandze has been dismissed from his job ‘for the violation of the channel’s code of conduct,’ particularly stipulations which regulate the use of social media by the GPB’s journalists.
The Georgian State Inspector’s Office has fined the country’s Interior Ministry 2,000 GEL for a violation of the personal data law by releasing footage from July 11, 2021 depicting the deceased cameraman of TV Pirveli Lekso Lashkarava.
Eleven days are left until the October 2 municipal elections in Georgia when voters will elect 64 mayors and 2,068 members in 64 city councils. The lead up to the elections has been marked by the ruling party’s withdrawal from the April 19 EU-mediated agreement, an attack on journalists by right-wing activists in July during Tbilisi Pride events, the recent leak of alleged personal files and continued vows of Georgia’s ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili that he will return.
Journalists of the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Borjomi TV are the winners of an award in honor of TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava.
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) rapporteurs Titus Corlatean (Romania, SOC) and Claude Kern (France, ALDE) have expressed their concern over the 'extremely polarised' political climate in Georgia following their visit to the country.
Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs has released the results of an autopsy performed on TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava, dated December 30, 2021, earlier today to the media.
Human Rights Watch has released its 2022 World Report, noting setbacks in labour, journalists’ and children’s rights in Georgia, and pointed at a ‘lack of accountability for law enforcement abuses.’
Tbilisi City Court has sentenced six individuals to up to two years in prison for attacking journalists and camera professionals of Mtavari Arkhi, Formula TV and Imedi TV channels at a right-wing counter-rally organised against Tbilisi Pride march on July 5, 2021.
Law enforcement will “prevent acts of violence” during the planned Tbilisi Pride Week, Georgia’s Deputy Interior Minister Aleksandre Darakhveidze said on Wednesday after right-wing organisers from Alt-Info media outlet called for a “disruption” of announced events for marking LGBTQ rights starting later this month.
The safety and freedom of expression and assembly of “each individual” will be protected during the upcoming Tbilisi Pride Week, Georgia’s Interior Ministry announced on Monday.
Georgian Interior Ministry has launched an investigation into threats issued by the right-wing organisation Alt-Info ahead of the planned Tbilisi Pride Week, organised by the LGBTQ+ community and set to start in the capital on Tuesday, Interpressnews reported on Monday.
Tbilisi Court of Appeals on Monday sentenced two individuals to three years in prison for an assault on reporters covering events around the 2021 Tbilisi Pride festival, extending their previous terms by one year and nine months.