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.
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).