Protesters gather in downtown Tbilisi following death of TV Pirveli cameraman, demand PM’s resignation
Georgian journalists, who are the key speakers at today's protest rally on Rustaveli Avenue, say they will not surrender. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
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Journalists, civil activists and politicians have gathered in front of the parliament building in downtown Tbilisi to pay tribute to the late TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava and demand Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili’s resignation.
Shame Movement, which is one of the organisers of the rally, has tweeted:
Crowd of 10K peaceful protesters are gathered in front of @Geoparliament led by ????????n journalists demanding resignation of @GharibashviliGe’s @GovernmentGeo, and punishing the organizers and executors of 5-6 July violence & Murderers of Lekso Lashkarava with full severity of law. pic.twitter.com/V0NQ8ULsb7
— Shame Movement (@Shamemovement) July 11, 2021
The protest rally was scheduled earlier today after Lekso Lashkarava, 36, was found dead at home earlier today.
Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
He was attacked in the office of the Shame Movement by over 30 right-wing activists during the Tbilisi Pride counter rally on June 5.
The protest rally was announced after the death of #TVPirveli's cameraman death today at 6 PM
— Formula NEWS | English (@FormulaGe) July 11, 2021
Alexander #Lashkarava was found dead today morning. He was one of the 53 journalists beaten on July 5 by #Russia-linked extremists#TbilisiPogrom pic.twitter.com/XUfXFEclad
Heads of different media outlets and civil activists called on others to join them and pay tribute to the late cameraman.
The Media Managers, activists and politicians call upon the citizens of Georgia to stand up against the violent Government and to demand their resignation
— Mtavari TV (@MtavariChannel) July 11, 2021
More: https://t.co/DmhjDHlcRR pic.twitter.com/IVKlKaq9ZE
In a joint statement released after Lashkarava's death, the Georgian media representatives say that the ‘cases of violations of the rights of media representatives in Georgia have reached a critical level’.
Dozens of cases against the media are still uninvestigated. The government does not ensure the safety of journalists, and statements by representatives of the ruling party exacerbate violence”, the joint statement reads.
The signatories call on the diplomatic corps and international organisations ‘to respond immediately’ and ‘effectively to the targeted persecution of media representatives’ during the Tbilisi Pride counter rally on July 5.
Georgian media companies issue a joint statement, signed by nearly every single media outlet in the nation
— Mtavari TV (@MtavariChannel) July 11, 2021
More: https://t.co/hMyZfIw3vO
The TV Pirveli cameraman was one of the 53 media representatives attacked by the right-wing groups last week.
Photo: Shot from 1TV live video
Protest rallies are held in other cities, including Batumi, where protesters have sprayed paint 'murderers' on the government building.
Police and protesters are clashing in Batumi as protesters attempt to spray the word 'murderers' on the Government of Adjara building. The demonstration follows the death of journalist Aleksandre Lashkarava.
— OC Media (@OCMediaorg) July 11, 2021
???? Background: https://t.co/7zDF8RAYZz
???? @RobinFabbro/@OCMediaorg pic.twitter.com/Ijojyksacz
An investigation has been launched in the death of Lekso Lashkarava, under Article 115 of the Criminal Code of Georgia – incitement to suicide. However, the Interior Ministry names drug overdose as a possible reason for Lashkarava's death.
Representatives of various media organisations have gathered in front of the building of the government administration on Ingorokva Street to pay tribute to TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava, who was attacked on June 5 by a group of Tbilisi Pride counter rally protesters, and who died earlier today, presumably due to his injuries.
Foreign embassies in Georgia and international organisations have sent condolences to the Georgian public following the death of TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava, who was beaten up by Tbilisi Pride counter demonstrators on July 5.
The Georgian Interior Ministry has named drug overdose as a possible reason for the death of TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava earlier today.
Georgian and foreign officials are saddened by news of the death of TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava earlier today.
A protest rally will be held in front of the parliament building in downtown Tbilisi at 6 p. m. demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili after TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava was found dead earlier today.
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.
Right-wing businessman Levan Vasadze, who founded political movement Unity, Essence, Hope earlier in May, has blamed US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan for the death of TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava, who had been previously beaten up by the right-wing counter protesters of the Tbilisi Pride march.
Police have detained one more individual who attacked TV Pirveli journalists in the office of the Shame Movement in Tbilisi on July 5 during the counter-rally against the Tbilisi Pride march. The Ministry of Internal Affair reports that in total 20 people have been arrested for verbally and physically assaulting media representatives on July 5 of which five are detained for attacking the TV Pirveli crew.
An extraordinary session of the Parliament of Georgia scheduled for this morning started three hours late after members of the opposition, several media executives and civil society broke into the parliament hall, occupied the speaker’s seat and didn’t allow the ruling party to start the session.
US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan says that the authorities are responsible for providing a peaceful environment for citizens to exercise their constitutional rights, including the right to assembly, the right to freedom of expression and the right for journalists to practice their profession in a safe environment.
Tbilisi City Court has denied bail to Davit Kutaladze – the latest of five individuals accused of attacking TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava and journalist Miranda Bagaturia on July 5 during the Tbilisi Pride counter-rally to come before the court.
Ambassadors of 25 EU countries have called on the Georgian government ‘to uphold the rule of law and to act in effective prevention of any future attempts at such criminal acts,’ following the violent events of July 5, where right-wing protesters attacked and assaulted journalists at the Tbilisi Pride counter rally, removed the EU flag twice from its position in front of parliament and burnt it.