US Ambassador Degnan: ‘state authorities responsible for providing peaceful environment for citizens’
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. Photo: netgazeti.ge.
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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.
Degnan noted that society didn’t see a safe environment on July 5 and 6, when dozens of journalists were attacked while covering the rally of right wing activists against the Tbilisi Pride march.
US Ambassador expressed hope that ‘now there will be a greater appreciation of how valuable and important these freedoms are’.
On July 11 media and civil society demanded the resignation of the Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili following the death of TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava, who was physically assaulted by right-wing groups on July 5 and was found dead on July 11.
While talking about the demand of the media representatives and civil society, Degnan noted that it is for the people of Georgia to decide who is going to lead the country.
Degnan expressed her condolences over the death of TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava, noting that violence in any form is unacceptable.
It’s just unacceptable, but particularly so when it is aimed at disrupting people from exercising their constitutional rights, whether it's freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, the freedom to march for dignity down a street, whether you are minority or the majority”, said Degnan.
Levan Vasadze, right-wing businessman and the founder of political movement Unity, Essence, Hope blamed the US Ambassador for the death of the TV pirveli cameramen, saying the events of July 5 happened because of the US Ambassador, ‘who despite the church’s calls didn’t remain silent and called on the government to carry out this provocation’.
Responding to Vasadze's statement, Degnan said earlier today that she believes everybody knows who pays for that kind of pro-Kremlin disinformation.
And those people who want to incite violence here, create instability, are busy at work, doing the Kremlin's work to cause dissension, cause instability here in Georgia”, said Degnan.
Degnan said Georgians are smart enough to know exactly who’s behind such disinformation attempts and who pays for them.