Court sentences 7 to year in prison for attacking reporters at Tbilisi Pride counter-rally
A total of 27 individuals have been arrested for violence against media representatives on July 5 last year. The attacks targeted reporters and crews who had gathered to cover the planned LGBTQ march in the city, which was later cancelled due to the violent scenes. Photo: Interpressnews.
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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.
Irakli Tsignadze, Bakar Maisuradze, Nikoloz Dadvani, Mukhran Dadvani, Tornike Gabeliani and Davit Kochiashvili were sentenced to one year in prison, while Vano Burduli will be imprisoned for one year and six months.
Nikolishvili was assaulted by Bakar Maisuradze, Nikoloz Dadvani and Tornike Gabeliani during the attack, judge Valerian Bugianishvili said. He and Bregvadze were "severely beaten" by the protesters while working in the capital to cover the march and the protest. Nikolishvili lost consciousness as a result of the attack and had to undergo a long rehabilitation course after leaving hospital.
- Court sentences 6 to 5 years in prison for attacking TV Pirveli cameraman, journalist at Tbilisi Pride counter-rally
- Court sentences 6 to up to 2 years in prison for attacking journalists at Tbilisi Pride counter-rally
The sentencing are the latest round of court decisions against participants of the attacks on media during the day last year. A total of 27 individuals were arrested following the events in which they targeted reporters and crews who had gathered to cover the planned LGBTQ march in the city, which was later cancelled due to the violent scenes.
Tbilisi City Court has found all 27 offenders guilty, with 26 sentenced to various terms of imprisonment and one fined 5,000 GEL (about$1,623/€1,486).
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 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.
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.
Officers of the Special Investigation Service have arrested two individuals for their assault on a crew of the opposition-minded Mtavari Arkhi TV channel in the western Georgian city of Zugdidi last month, Koka Katsitadze, the Head of the SIS, announced on Friday.
Sixteen media representatives - journalists, camera crews and photographers - who were attacked by far-right groups while covering Tbilisi Pride events last year have filed a lawsuit against the state in the European Court of Human Rights, the Georgian Young Lawyers Association said on Monday.
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.