The Ministry of Internal Affairs has detained another person accused of abuse during the rally against ‘Tbilisi Pride’ on July 5.
“The officers of the Tbilisi Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, as a result of operative-investigative activities, detained another person I.Ts. (DoB 2000) for unlawful interference with journalists’ professional activities under the threats of violence, persecution under violence, or threat of violence and group violence.
“The investigation established that on July 5 of the current year the accused I.Ts. verbally and physically assaulted the cameraman of “TV Pirveli” while performing his professional duties at the intersection of Revaz Tabukashvili and Giorgi Chanturia streets on Rustaveli Avenue,” stated the investigative agency.
On the same fact, the law enforcers detained 2 persons – V.B. (DoB 1988) on July 14, 2021 and N.G. (DoB 1997) on July 17, who had verbally and physically assaulted the cameraman of “TV Pirveli” while performing his professional duties.
The investigation is in progress under Article 154, Part II, Article 156, Part II, Subparagraph “A” and Article 225, Part II of the Criminal Code of Georgia.
The MIA says During the protest rallies held on July 5-6, 26 people were arrested in total for unlawful interference with the journalist’s professional activities under the threats of violence, persecution under violence, or threat of violence and group violence, in particular:
- 22 individuals have been arrested for unlawful interference with the journalist’s professional activities under the threats of violence, persecution under violence, or threat of violence and group violence;
- 3 persons have been arrested for raiding the office of Tbilisi Pride, group violence, persecution under violence or threat of violence and violation of the inviolability of domicile or of any other property.
- 1 person was arrested by the police for violence perpetrated against a citizen.
Investigative-operative activities are underway to identify and arrest others involved in the crime, the agency said.
By Ana Dumbadze
