UPDATED: Police release Tbilisi Pride counter-rally instigators after 6 hours of interrogation
Among the individuals taken in for questioning are right-wing activist Guram Palavandishvil and his son Alexandre Palavandishvili. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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Updated: 19:26
After six hours of interrogation Guram Palavandishvili, Zurab Makharadze and archpriest Tskipurishvili have left the Tbilisi Main Police Department.
All three individuals interrogated today say they did not commit any violence during the counter rally on July 5.
Makharadze told journalists that he answered all the questions of the police.
He added that 'if there is pressure from the US ambassador and ambassadors of the European countries' he could not rule out being arrested.
Palavandishvili, Makharadze and Tskipurishvili said police seized mobile phones, walkie-talkies and weapons that were registered in their name while searching their homes.
Earlier: 14:29
Police have taken several instigators of the Tbilisi Pride counter rally on July 5 in for questioning after searching their homes.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs told local media outlet IPN that searches had been carried out at the homes of several individuals.
Among the individuals taken in for questioning are right-wing activist Guram Palavandishvil and his son Alexandre Palavandishvili.
Palavandishvili told reporters he did not expect to be arrested and law enforcers did not seize anything from his house.
No illegal thing could be found in our house. In general, we are very law-abiding people, unless the laws contradict the 10 commandments. If they contradict the 10 commandments, neither the US ambassador, nor the Turkish ambassador, nor Putin can stand against us", said Palavandishvili.
He added that 'we refuse to be interrogated … only in court and with a lawyer'.
We express concern that the instigators of the violence – Tbilisi Pride, TV stations, media terrorists – will not be detained. I have no expectations that I would be arrested, you should be arrested, you terrorists. There was terror on your part and we could have died as well. Everyone could have died”, he said.
In addition, police searched the apartment of the founder of right wing media outlet Alt-Info Zurab Makharadze, who has also been taken to the police station together with Shota Martinenko, Giorgi Kardava, Irakli Kizilashvili and Koka Morgoshia – 'all members of our group', reports Alt-Info.
Police have detained one more individual for attacking TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava, who was beaten severely at the July 5 Tbilisi pride counter rally and later passed away on July 11, and one for physically assaulting a citizen on Rustaveli Avenue the same day.
Police have detained one more individual for attacking the Georgian Public Broadcaster cameraman on RustavePolice have detained one more individual for attacking a Georgian Public Broadcaster cameraman on Rustaveli Avenue on July 5 during the counter-rally against the Tbilisi Pride march.li Avenue on July 5 during the counter-rally against the Tbilisi Pride march.
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'.
Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Aleksandre Darakhvelidze has briefed the media and public on recent developments concerning violence at the Tbilisi Pride counter rallies of the past couple of days.
Over 200 media representatives have called on the General Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia to launch an investigation into the violence against dozens of journalists by right-wing activists at the Tbilisi Pride counter rally on July 5.
Georgian telecommunication provider Silknet has agreed to air and include in all its packages right-wing media outlet Alt-Info after months of a dispute caused by the outbreak of violence at the Tbilisi Pride counter rally on July 5. Alt-Info has been actively expressing and encouraging violence and aggresion against Tbilisi Pride march while founders of the media outlet were participating in the counter rally on July 5.
The Georgian right-wing media outlet Alt-Info founders have failed to register the political party Conservative Movement, which they established on November 20, by National Agency of Public Registry due to mistakes made while filling out the application form.
The political party Conservative Movement of the Georgian right-wing media outlet Alt-Info has been officially registered by the National Agency of Public Registry on December 7.