Court sentences one to 2 years in prison for attacking cameraman at Tbilisi Pride counter-rally
Police established the apprehended person had verbally and physically assaulted Beka Mshvildadze, a cameraman of the news channel, while the latter was working at the scene. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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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.
Police established the apprehended person had verbally and physically assaulted Beka Mshvildadze, a cameraman of the news channel, while the latter was working at the scene.
- Right wing groups attack dozens of media representatives near parliament at Tbilisi Pride March counter rally
- UPDATE: 53 journalists attacked by right wing activists protesting Tbilisi pride today
A total of 53 journalists and crews of various media outlets were assaulted and left with injuries while covering the rally of right-wing protesters against a planned Tbilisi Pride LGBTQ march, which was cancelled due to anticipated violence.
Police have arrested 27 individuals for attacking journalists on the date.
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).
Three out of 11 right-wing activists detained on July 5 for attacking journalists will face criminal charges, while two detainees have been sentenced to three days of administrative detention.
Right wing activists who had gathered on Rustaveli Avenue this morning to protest the Tbilisi Pride march scheduled for 6 p.m. later today attacked journalists and cameramen on the spot, injuring dozens of media representatives. Among the injured media representatives there are eight from Rustavi 2, two journalists from TV Pirveli, and employees of On.ge, Tabula, Netgazeti, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and other media outlets.
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.
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 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.
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.