Four more individuals detained for attacking journalists during Tbilisi Pride counter rally on July 5
Right wing activists who had gathered on Rustaveli Avenue in the morning of July 5 to protest the Tbilisi Pride march scheduled later that day attacked journalists and cameramen on the spot, injuring dozens of media representatives. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
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Four more right-wing activists have been arrested for assault, persecution and group violence against journalists and cameramen during the Tbilisi Pride counter rally on July 5.
The Georgian Interior Ministry has announced that:
- an individual, identified only as R.K. and born in 1991, has assaulting a Formula TV journalist
- an individual, identified only as G.N. and born in 1985, has assaulted Imedi TV cameraman
- an individual, identified only as T.B. and born in 1985, has assaulted a Formula TV photo reporter
- an individual, identified only as G.K. and born in 1984, has assaulted a journalist of the Georgian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
Violent right-wing groups took over the protest space outside the Parliament of Georgia late on July 6 and burned the European Union and LGBT flags. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
Yet another person, who was detained earlier on July 8 for assaulting TV Pirveli journalist and a cameraman, as well as attacking the office of the Shame Movement, was also charged for violence against a cameraman of the First Channel of the Georgian Public Bradcaster.
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 July 5.
Four individuals have been sentenced to two months pre-trial detention for verbally and physically assaulting employees of TV Pirveli and Mtavari TV on July 5 at the counter-rally against the Tbilisi Pride March.
Four defendants who attacked journalists at the Tbilisi Pride march counter rally on July 5 have been denied release on bail. Three defendants were sent to pre-trial detention for a violent attack on the journalists and cameramen of Tabula, New post agency, TV channels Rustavi 2 and Mtavari Arkhi and the fourth one for the physical assault of the cameramen of Palitranews.
TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava, 36, was found dead at home this morning. Lashkarava was one of the 53 media representatives who were attacked by right-wing groups during the Tbilisi Pride counter rally on June 5.
The Georgian Interior Ministry has named drug overdose as a possible reason for the death of TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava earlier today.
Five more people have been arrested for group violence, persecution and assault of journalists and three people have been detained for damaging the office of Tbilisi Pride during a right-wing counter rally on July 5. Three of the 32 detainees from the rally of July 6 were fined for administrative violation, the maximum fine of which is 3,500 GEL (about $1,107/€934).