Ombudswoman demands cleric be held accountable for incitement to violence at Tbilisi Pride events
Georgian Public Defender Nino Lomjaria says that archpriest Spiridon Tskipurishvili (L)‘called for violence’ during the Tbilisi Pride events, while right-wing activist Zurab Makharadze was the organiser of an anti-LGBT rally on July 5.
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Georgian Public Defender Nino Lomjaria has asked the country’s Chief Prosecutor’s Office to launch a criminal prosecution against archpriest Spiridon Tskipirishvili and a right-wing activist and an anchor of ultra-nationalist Internet platform Alt-Info Zurab Makharadze for their role on an anti-LGBT demonstration in central Tbilisi in early July.
Lomjaria says that there is footage ‘which directly points at criminal signs’ in the actions of the two.
She said that Tskipurishvili urged demonstrators who gathered on Rustaveli Avenue on July 5 to hamper the Tbilisi Pride march, to ‘use violence in the name of God,’ while Makharadze was one of the organisers of the anti-LGBT rally.
Lomjaria says that in the two months since the July 5 rally when right-wing activists attacked 53 journalists, no one has been arrested for organising the violence.
Right-wing activists in front of the parliament building in central Tbilisi, ahead of planned Tbilisi Pride march. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
She said that criminal prosecution has been launched against 27 individuals for participation in group violence, while 53 others have been recognised as victims.
Lomjaria says that she has no access to the investigation files, but says based on public information and media reporting that the ‘investigation is not effective.’
One of the journalists, Lekso Lashkarava, who was attacked on July 5, died on July 9.
Georgian Interior Ministry has responded that there is no enough evidence in the case to file charges against Tskipurishvili and Makharadze.
The ministry states that 31 individuals have been held accountable for their role during the July 5 rally and 700 individuals have been interrogated so far.
Speaking about an ineffective investigation in the situation is a bit unclear," Deputy Interior Minister Aleksandre Darakhvelidze has stated.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has accused the United National Movement opposition of ‘sparking tension and staging provocations’ on the day.
“The Georgian church has been the target of severe attacks from certain forces”, the Georgian patriarchate has stated earlier today, adding that the situation became ‘even more tense and aggressive’ in Georgian media following the July 5-6 demonstrations in Tbilisi.
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.
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.
TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava, 36, was found dead at home this morning. Lashkarava was one of the 53 media representatives who were attacked by right-wing groups during the Tbilisi Pride counter rally on June 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.
Facebook has deleted pages and groups associated with the Georgian-based pro-Russian media outlet Alt-Info on the backdrop of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy has said.