Tbilisi: activists mark anniversary of July riots with protest action

Those responsible for organizing riots in Tbilisi on July 5, 2021, have not yet been punished, despite numerous victims from the aggression of LGBT opponents, activists have stated at a protest held in the capital of Georgia.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on July 1-5, 2021, the "LGBT Week" was held in Tbilisi, which was planned to end with a "March of Dignity" in central Tbilisi. On July 5, 2021, LGBT opponents blocked Rustaveli Avenue; their action turned into an attack on journalists, as a result, 53 media professional suffered.

On July 5, 2022, in Tbilisi, near the prosecutor's office, activists and members of the NGO "Coalition in Defence of Media Interests" held a protest action, during which they reminded authorities of the events of July 5-6, 2021, and the death of the cameraman, Lekso Lashkarava.

According to Natiya Kapanadze, a member of the above coalition, not a single group of the persons directly involved in the violence has been held accountable, although the main organizers of the last year's July 5 events have been identified. She urged authorities to bring those responsible to justice.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on July 6, 2022 at 09:24 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.