Two persons- Davit Kutaladze and Tornike Davlasheridze, convicted of physical violence against journalists and cameramen during the pogroms of July 5, 2021, including against TV Pirveli cameraman Lexo Lashkarava, have been released early from prison. They were reportedly released under the amnesty.
Interpressnews news agency quotes the lawyer of Tornike Davlasheridze, Gela Nikoleishvili, as saying that his client had received a reduction of 1/6 of his sentence and had already left the 15th prison in Ksani.
Several other people convicted in the 5 July case have reportedly left prison, but it is not yet known who they are.
In April 2022 the Tbilisi City Court today ruled five-year prison sentences for six persons – Akaki Nakashidze, Tornike Davlasheridze, Davit Kutaladze, Otar Gelashvili, Tsotne Chikhladze and Gia Giguashvili – over attacking now-deceased TV Pirveli cameraman Aleksandre Lashkarava, as well as TV Pirveli journalist Miranda Baghaturia and a Public Broadcaster cameraman during the July 5 homophobic pogroms in Tbilisi.
However, last year the Tbilisi Court of Appeal overturned on appeal the charges and conviction of group violence on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity against the defendants convicted in the case (Criminal Code, Article 225.2). The Court of Appeal also reduced the prison sentences of the six convicts from five to four years.
The Media Advocacy Coalition, a CSO that works on media issues, called the decision made by the appeals court “alarming” and said that “the verdict is yet another step against journalists, freedom of expression, and democratic processes.”
The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) denounced the court’s ruling, pointing out that it strengthens the hate groups’ sense of impunity for their attacks on the media on July 5, 2021. According to GYLA, the main responsibility lies with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia as they are the authorities with the power to investigate and press charges.
During the July 2021 events, more than 50 media representatives were injured in a homophobic attack on journalists. Among them was Alexandre (Lekso) Lashkarava, the operator of “TV Pirveli” who passed away 6 days after the violence against him.
Following the case of homophobic violence, law enforcement officers arrested a total of 31 individuals, 27 of whom were charged with violence against journalists. The court found all of them guilty. However, the organizers of the July 5 violence have yet to be identified by the law enforcement authorities and no one has yet been charged. This has been repeatedly criticized by civil society.
To be updated…
Also Read:
- 06/12/2022 – Public Defender on ‘Ineffective’ Investigation of July 5 Case
- 05/07/2022 – ECHR Accepts Tbilisi Pride’s July 5 Case
- 06/04/2022 – Seven More Sentenced over July 5 Violence
- 05/04/2022 – Court Convicts 14 in July Media Attacks
- 08/01/2022- GYLA Applies to ECtHR on Behalf of July 5 2021 Victims