MIA claims police detain one for selling heroin to TV Pirveli cameramen Lashkarava
The crime is punishable by eight to 20 years in prison or life imprisonment. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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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 report that during the search of the apartment of the detainee, law enforcers seized a large amount of drugs prepared for sale.
The crime is punishable by eight to 20 years in prison or life imprisonment.
Lashkarava was one of the 53 media representatives who were attacked by right-wing groups during the Tbilisi Pride counter rally on June 5 and received a concussion, facial bone fractures and multiple bruises. He underwent treatment at home after medical surgery.
Lashkarava passed away on July 11. Police took his body for an autopsy to define the exact reason for his death.
The same day the Georgian Interior Ministry named drug overdose as a possible reason for the death of Lashkarava.
Head of the Central Criminal Police Mamuka Tchelidze told journalists on July 11 that Lashkarava he had driven a moped to several locations in Tbilisi on July 10, including Ponichala, which is a district know for drug dealing on the outskirts of Tbilisi.
During the protest rally yesterday three media outlets, TV Pirveli, Mtavari Arkhi TV and Formula TV, said that the interior ministry story about the possible reason for Lashkarava's death has been deliberately faked to mislead the people.
Police also report that recently they have detained 20 drug dealers and eight other individuals for the illegal purchase and possession of a total of over one kg of heroin and 129 pills of Subutex in Ponichala.
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.
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, 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.
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.
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.
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.
A sixth individual detained for attacking now-deceased TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava at the Tbilisi Pride march counter rally on July 5 has been denied release on bail. The prosecution demanded the use of the most severe measure of restraint against Gia Giguashvili due to the nature of the crime.
The Georgian State Inspector’s Office has fined the country’s Interior Ministry 2,000 GEL for a violation of the personal data law by releasing footage from July 11, 2021 depicting the deceased cameraman of TV Pirveli Lekso Lashkarava.