11:21, 18 July 2021

Two protesters against gay parade in Tbilisi arrested

Anti-LGBT protesters at a rally in Tbilisi. Photo by Beslan Kmuzov for the "Caucasian Knot"

A Tbilisi court has ruled to arrest two persons accused of attacking Lekso Lashkarava, a cameraman of the "TV-Pirveli" Company, and a passer-by with a rainbow flag. Journalists have demanded from the Georgian General Prosecutor's Office (GPO) to punish the organizers of the rally against the "March of Dignity", who were released after interrogation.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on July 5, according to the journalists' estimates, during the riots at actions against the gay parade in Tbilisi, 53 media professionals were beaten up. A total of 24 people were accused of group violence.

On Saturday (July 17), a Tbilisi court ruled to place Vano Burduli and David Kochiashvili, accused of attacking Lashkarava and a passer-by with a rainbow flag, behind bars.

Meanwhile the journalists and human rights defenders, who gathered on July 15 near the building of the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), claimed that among the detainees there were no organizers of the riots. They stated that the investigation was being conducted inefficiently.

On July 16, law enforcers seized equipment and documents from the house of Zura Makharadze, the founder of the "Alt-Info". He and other organizers of the anti-LGBT rally – the father and son Palavandishvili, Levan Chachua and Ramaz Gagnidze – were interrogated by the police. At the same time, journalists, including Vakha Sanaya, a presenter of the "TV-Pirveli" Company, demanded from the GPO to punish the organizers of the beating of their colleagues, the "Mtavari Arkhi" TV Company has reported.

One of those interrogated, Ramaz Gagnidze, has stated that no mass violence had been planned in advance.

Giorgi Nikolishvili, a photojournalist of the "InterPressNews", who was beaten up on July 5 while performing his professional duties, is still in hospital.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on July 17, 2021 at 05:14 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Source: CK correspondent