Court sentences 6 to 5 years in prison for attacking TV Pirveli cameraman, journalist at Tbilisi Pride counter-rally
Despite a number of pieces of evidence presented by the State Prosecutor’s Office proving the violence against journalists on the date, none of the offenders pleaded guilty, local media outlet Interpressnews (IPN) reported. Photo: IPN.
Tweet 
Share
Tbilisi City Court has sentenced six individuals to five years in prison for attacking TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava and journalist Miranda Baghaturia, at a right-wing counter rally organised against Tbilisi Pride march on July 5, 2021.
Akaki Nakashidze, Tornike Davlasheridze, Davit Kutaladze, Otar Gelashvili, Tsotne Chikhladze and Gia Giguashvili were charged with group violence against the journalists, and found guilty by judge Nino Eleishvili earlier on Monday.
Despite a number of pieces of evidence presented by the State Prosecutor’s Office proving the violence against journalists on the date, none of the offenders pleaded guilty, local media outlet Interpressnews reported.
Lekso Lashkarava, who was beaten severely at the counter rally, died on July 11.
Tbilisi City Court has sentenced Irakli Kavlashvili to two years in prison for attacking a Palitra News TV cameraman at a right-wing counter-rally organised against Tbilisi Pride on July 5 last year.
Tbilisi City Court has sentenced six individuals to up to two years in prison for attacking journalists and camera professionals of Mtavari Arkhi, Formula TV and Imedi TV channels at a right-wing counter-rally organised against Tbilisi Pride march on July 5, 2021.
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.
Five more people have been arrested for group violence, persecution and assault of journalists and three people have been detained for damaging the office of Tbilisi Pride during a right-wing counter rally on July 5. Three of the 32 detainees from the rally of July 6 were fined for administrative violation, the maximum fine of which is 3,500 GEL (about $1,107/€934).
Tbilisi City Court has sentenced seven individuals to a year in prison for attacking TV Pirveli cameraman Levan Bregvadze, Interpressnews agency photo reporter Giorgi Nikolishvili and one more individual at the right-wing counter rally organised against the Tbilisi Pride march on July 5, 2021.
The Prosecutor General’s Office will appeal the Tbilisi Court of Appeals ruling that reduced sentences for six individuals charged with assaulting reporters covering the Tbilisi Pride march in Georgia’s capital in 2021.