▲The verdicts were met with fury from far-right activists gathered outside the court. Photo: Mariam Nikuradze/OC Media.
Tbilisi City Court has convicted 20 far-right activists for the attacks on at least 53 media workers and others during the aborted Pride March in Tbilisi on 5 July 2021.
On Monday, the trials of 20 people in three separate cases came to a close. Nineteen were sentenced to between one and five years in prison, while one was fined but spared prison time.
None of the accused pleaded guilty, claiming they had not physically attacked anyone during the riots.
None of the organisers of the violent attacks, which were led by the extremist group Alt Info, have been charged.
Georgia’s first Pride March had been planned for 5 July 2021, however, the event quickly spiralled into chaos as thousands of far-right counterprotesters took to the streets and attacked journalists and civil society groups.
At least 53 media workers were injured in targeted attacks during the ensuing violence, with the authorities facing criticism for their apparent inaction.
Media workers gathered in front of the court as the hearings concluded, while hundreds of supporters of far-right and pro-Russian group Alt Info also gathered, reacting with rage when the verdicts were announced.
Supporters of far-right and pro-Russian group Alt Info were aggressive towards journalists working outside Tbilisi City Court. Photo: Mariam Nikuradze/OC Media.Far-right crowds gathered outside the court shouted insults at OC Media’s journalist, preventing her from working and pushing her away from the protest area. Photo: Mariam Nikuradze/OC Media.
There was a heavy police presence separating the two groups.
During the first hearing, seven people were accused of organising group violence against journalists and camera operators of Mtavari Arkhi, Formula, Imedi, Tabula, RFE/RL, and Rustavi 2.
Four were sentenced to one year and three months in prison, while the remaining two were sentenced to a year and two months. The remaining defendant was fined ₾5,000 ($1,600) and released.
Seven defendants were given prison sentences ranging from one year to three years in the second court session of the day, while six of the accused are expected to serve only six months, having been in pre-trial detention since last year.
Supporters of Alt Info praying outside Tbilisi City Court, expressing their support towards those convicted. Photo: Mariam Nikuradze/OC Media.Photo: Mariam Nikuradze/OC Media.
‘I really held my breath for 10 months and now I exhale’
During the third and final hearing, six defendants were sentenced to five years in prison for assaulting TV Pirveli journalist Miranda Baghaturia and the late-camera operator Alexandre (Lekso) Lashkarava.
Both were severely beaten while covering an attack by far-right activists on the offices of Shame!, a liberal group. Lashkarava required surgery after sustaining broken facial bones and a concussion. He passed away a week later.
Six months after Lashkarava’s death, an official autopsy claimed he died of a heroin overdose.
Baghaturia hailed the verdict. ‘I held my breath for 10 months and now I can exhale’, she told journalists gathered in front of the court.
‘Thank you toom and thank you Lekso. Thanks to Lekso, for his death was not in vain. At some point, we realise we won with this 5-year sentence’, she said.
Before joining OC Media as a reporter, Tata worked as a journalist in the Georgian newspaper Resonance for over two years. She is interested in politics, social issues and especially everything relat
Georgian news camera operator Aleksandre Lashkarava died of a heroin overdose less than a week after being attacked by a far-right mob, an official autopsy has concluded.
An extract of the autopsy results was provided to OC Media and other media outlets by the Interior Ministry on Friday. They claim that the TV Pirveli camera operator died of severe cardiovascular and respiratory failure caused by heroin intoxication.
The 4 of 37 pages of the report released to the press also state that seve
The authorities in Georgia have failed to produce the results of an autopsy into the death of TV Pirveli camera operator Aleksandre (Lekso) Lashkarava, who passed away in July after being beaten by far-right groups during a homophobic riot in Tbilisi.
Beka Takalandze, a lawyer representing Lashkarava’s family, confirmed to OC Media that they were still awaiting the results.
This weekend marked five months since Lashkarava’s death. He passed away at home on 11 July just six days after sustain
Calls have mounted for the resignation of Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili as well as the Interior Minister, Vakhtang Gomelauri, following the death on Sunday morning of journalist Aleksandre Lashkarava.
Lashkarava, a camera operator at TV Pirveli, was attacked by a mob during the homophobic riots in Tbilisi on 5 July, which left at least 53 journalists injured. He sustained fractures to his facial bones and a concussion, and on Sunday morning, he was found dead in his home.
