Eight journalists hospitalized after attacks in Tbilisi

Following the broadcasts of Georgian TV Channels, attacks on journalists who were covering the action of opponents of the “March of Dignity” in the centre of Tbilisi were broadcast live, but the police did not detain the attackers.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that from July 1 to 5, the LGBT community held the LGBT Week in Tbilisi which they planned to end with the “March of Dignity” in the city centre. Today, several hundred opponents of the gay pride parade blocked Rustaveli Avenue and attacked journalists who were covering the protest action.

At least eight journalists who were physically abused by the activists who were protesting against the “March of Dignity” were taken to different clinics in Tbilisi, the “Georgia Online” reports today with reference to the Centre for the Coordination of Emergency Situations and Emergency Aid.

The attacks of the opponents of the gay pride parade on the journalists were broadcast live on the Georgian TV Channels. Although everything was happening live and the faces of the attackers were recorded, the police did not detain anyone, but only took the journalists out, the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent reported with reference to the live broadcast of the Georgian TV Companies.

Mariam Kokosashvili, Executive Director of the Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics, holds the Georgia’s government responsible for the current events in Tbilisi. “We should appeal to international organizations, and we should force the government to investigate the facts. The facts of violence were recorded live, and offenders can be clearly identified,” said Mariam Kokosashvili during her speech in the “Courier of the Day” programme as translated from the Georgian language by the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on July 5, 2021 at 07:12 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.