Journalists gather in front of parliament again, calling for PM’s resignation following TV Pirveli cameraman’s death
The journalists plan to gather in front of the parliament building tomorrow at 12 p.m. when the Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri is scheduled to address the MPs over the developments of July 5-6. 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.
Lashkarava, who was one of the 53 media representatives attacked by the right-wing groups during the Tbilisi Pride counter rally, passed away on July 11. His colleagues claim that the entire responsibility of the July 5-6 developments lies on the PM, who - they say - has given 'a green light' to the right-wing groups to act violently.
TV Pirveli anchor Inga Grigolia says the life of journalists has become dangerous in Georgia.
Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
Georgian people do not want Russia, but Europe. We want freedom, we want the European path”, another anchor of TV Prveli, Eka Mishveladze addressed the audience.
Formula TV anchor Vakho Sanaia also stated that the ruling Georgian Dream party ‘has killed every institution’ in Georgia, but the media will not surrender.
We have promised you that we will fight not only from our studios, but we will fight with you also from the streets”, Sanaia said.
He further noted that this is 'an uncompromised fight for freedom'.
Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
The journalists plan to gather in front of the parliament building tomorrow at 12 p.m. when the Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri is scheduled to address the MPs over the developments of July 5-6.
During the protest rally today three media outlets - TV Pirveli, Mtavari Arkhi TV and Formula TV - said in a joint program that the interior ministry story about the possible reason for Lashkarava's death has been deliberately faked to mislead the people.
Meanwhile, the Coalition for Media Advocacy has expressed its concern that journalists of the above three media outlets were not invited to cover PM Garibashvili’s activities earlier today.
Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
Moreover, the coalition said that the director of Mtavari Arkhi TV Nika Gvaramia has received death threats from right-wing groups after Facebook blocked violent Alt-Info group, one of the alleged organisers of the anti-Tbilisi Pride rally in Tbilisi.
Violations of the rights of media have reached a critical level in recent times. There was a mass attack on the media on July 5-6, 2021. A total of 53 representatives of more than ten media organisations have been injured. TV Pirveli cameraman Alexandre (Lekso) Lashkarava has succumbed to injuries”, the coalition says.
Its members, including the Charter of Journalistic Ethics, the Young Lawyers Association and Transparency International Georgia, claim that ‘illegal restriction on coverage of a public event’ with the PM’s participation ‘violates both the media's right to carry out its professional duties and the public's access to information about an event of public interest’.
With the background when media representatives are being the victims of numerous acts of violence and threats, the Prime Minister's discriminatory decision of today reinforces the polarisation in the country, encourages further violence, coercion, intimidation, hostility or discrimination against journalists and cameramen”, the joint statement reads.
Its signatories call on PM Garibashvii ‘to stop discrediting the media’. They also call on Interior Minister Gomelauri to investigate threats against Mtavari Arkhi TV director Gvaramia.
TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava, who was beaten severely at the July 5 Tbilisi pride counter rally and later passed away on July 11, will be buried today at Jikia cemetery in Tbilisi. Today a procession was held in honour of the memory of Lashkarava. During the procession, Lashkarava's body was led through a 'camera corridor' made by cameramen of various media outlets.
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.
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.
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.
Georgian Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri’s parliamentary address on the violence of July 5-6 in Tbilisi has been postponed due to an opposition protest.
Journalists have gathered in Batumi holding banners ‘media under attack’ as the plane of European Council President Charles Michel has landed in the Black Sea town.
Police have detained one individual for the purchase, possession and sale of drugs in the Ponichala district of capital city of Tbilisi, 'the same individual who sold heroin to TV Pirveli cameramen Lekso Lashkarava' on July 10, a few days later after he was beaten severely at the July 5 Tbilisi pride counter rally.
Police have detained one more individual for attacking a TV Pirveli cameraman Levan Bregvadze on Rustaveli Avenue on July 5 during the Tbilisi Pride march counter-rally.
Reporters from Georgian outlets are holding a protest near Mtatsminda Park in Tbilisi with demands of repercussions for violent individuals who attacked media professionals in the capital on July 5.
Police have detained one more individual for attacking a Rustavi 2 TV cameraman on Rustaveli Avenue on July 5 during the Tbilisi Pride march counter rally. The Ministry of Internal Affairs reports that the detainee, identified only as U.D., (born in 1955) verbally and physically insulted Rustavi 2 cameraman.
Prime Minister Garibashvili has called journalists ‘party activists’ earlier today in response to inquiries into whether he would take responsibility for the attacks on journalists at the Tbilisi Pride counter rally on July 5 and leave the post following demands for his resignation from the opposition, NGOs and media representatives. PM Garibashvili responded to journalists’ questions earlier today saying: ‘...unfortunately, TV stations have been transformed into departments of party organisations.’
The ruling Georgian Dream party will decide who is responsible for the violent events of July 5, Georgian Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri said on TV channel Rustavi 2 yesterday, responding to recent demands for his resignation from the opposition, journalists and NGOs.
The Georgian revenue service has started inspecting the opposition-minded TV channel Mtavari Arkhi’s advertising company following the accusations of ruling party head Irakli Kobakhidze that three TV stations are funded with ‘black money.’ Head and founder of Mtavari Arkhi Nika Gvaramia linked the launch of the investigation to an attempt to falsify upcoming elections and noted that other media outlets face the same threat.