Protesters gather again in front of parliament in Tbilisi demanding PM’s resignation following TV Pirveli cameraman’s death
The protesters say they will not step back until PM Irakli Garibashvili takes the responsibility and resigns. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
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Journalists, civil activists and politicians have again gathered in front of the parliament building in downtown Tbilisi demanding Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili’s resignation, following the death of TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava, who was one of the 53 media representatives attacked by the right-wing groups during the Tbilisi Pride counter rally.
We will not give up Rustaveli to anyone! We will stay here until the victory! You probably do not know what the Georgian media can", Formula TV anchor Vakho Sanaia said referring to the ruling Georgian Dream party members.
You will not succeed in establishing dictatorship in this country because we will not let that happen”, he added, noting that PM Garibashvili will eventually resign.
Sanaia read out the names of 53 media representatives, including Lekso Lashkarava, who were attacked while covering the violence of the right-wing groups on July 5.
Today’s protest is starting off with a long applause for all the journalist that were victims of government-sanctioned violence on July 5th. pic.twitter.com/k2k4Sz5xON
— Droa (@MovementDroa) July 12, 2021
While heads of various media organisations and opposition claim that the anti Tbilisi Pride rally of July 5 was ‘a special operation’ planned by the government of Georgia, the Georgian ruling party accuses the opposition of ‘trading by tragedy’.
In response to demands for his resignation, PM Garibashvili has also said that the protest in front of the parliament is 'classic anti-state, anti-church and anti-national'.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili and Ombudswoman Nino Lomjaria have met today following the death of TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava to discuss the violent developments in Tbilisi on July 5-6.
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.
The Georgian ruling party has accused the opposition of ‘trading by tragedy’ following the death of the TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava, who was found dead yesterday after being attacked by right-wing counter protesters of the Tbilisi Pride march on July 5. The head of the ruling party Irakli Kobakhidze said earlier today that the organisers of yesterday's rally, protesting the death of TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava, are the leaders of radical, anti-Christian groups, ‘who decided to score points on the death of the colleague.’
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili responded to yesterday's rally of journalists, civil activists and politicians who gathered in front of the parliament building to pay tribute to TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava and demand Garibashvili’s resignation. Garibashvili said that 'they tried to use this tragedy to achieve their own political goals'.
The Georgian Interior Ministry has provided more details to support its claim that TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava, who was beaten severely at the July 5 Tbilisi pride counter rally, died due to a drug overdose.
The protest at the headquarters of the ruling Georgian Dream party which moved from downtown Tbilisi demanding Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili’s resignation has ended for today. 12 protesters were detained after they threw eggs and painted the walls of the headquarter with the red paint.
Journalists and cameramen took the podium today during a briefing of Deputy Health Minister Tamar Gabunia, and held a minute of silence in protest of the death of TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava. Deputy Health Minister Gabunia was going to introduce the latest decisions of today's Interagency Council Meeting before the incident took place.
Several detainees arrested at last night’s rally in front of the ruling Georgian Dream party headquarters have been released. Civil activists, journalists and opposition politicians were protesting the Interior Ministry’s claim that TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava, beaten by crowds of Tbilisi Pride counter-rally protesters on July 5, may have passed away on June 11 due to a drug overdose.
A total of 36 NGOs and opposition parties have called on Georgian Parliament Speaker Kakha Kuchava to break the silence on violence against opposition female MPs by the ruling Georgian Dream party’s MPs during an incident which took place at the parliament session on July 18.
Journalists have held a protest in Georgian parliament earlier today demanding the punishment of individuals who attacked journalists at the Tbilisi Pride counter rally on July 5 and the resignation of Prime Minister Garibashvili. Journalists held up a banner ‘punish offenders’ and photos of deceased TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava, who was brutally beaten up by right-wing protesters at the counter rally.
Georgian cameraman Lekso Lashkarava, who was beaten up by Tbilisi Pride counter demonstrators on July 5 and died on July 11, tops the August ranking of the One Free Press Coalition’s ‘10 Most Urgent’ list of journalists who were attacked while performing professional duties.