Number of those arrested for attacking journalists in Tbilisi reaches 27

The Tbilisi City Court has arrested two more suspects of attacking journalists. Media professionals held another protest action at the Georgian Parliament demanding to punish the organizers and participants of the violence.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on July 5, during the riots at the protests against the gay parade in Tbilisi, according to the journalists' estimates, 53 media professionals were beaten up. The journalistic community declared the investigation inefficient and demanded the resignation of the government.

On July 22, the Tbilisi City Court arrested two persons accused of attacking the cameraman of the "Rustavi-2" and "Pirveli" TV Companies. At the hearing, the defendants' advocates kept asserting that there were no proofs that their clients were guilty of the July 5 violent attacks, the "Rustavi-2" TV Company has reported, adding that because of the violence on July 5, a total of 27 people have been arrested; 23 of them are accused of attacking journalists, the TV company reported.

Media workers have held a silent rally at the parliament near the session hall demanding to punish the organizers and perpetrators of the violence. Journalists from various media were standing with photographs of Lekso Lashkarava, the deceased cameraman of the "Pirveli" TV Company. During the extraordinary session of the parliament, a banner was hung from the balcony for the media in the hall: "Punish the violators", the "Mtavari Arkhi" TV Company has reported.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on July 22, 2021 at 07:18 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.