On July 5, 2021, 4 individuals - Akaki Nakashidze, Davit Kutaladze, Tsotne Chikhladze, and Tornike Davlasheridze - who were convicted of violence against TV Pirveli operator Lekso Lashkarava and journalist Miranda Baghaturia, were released early from their prison terms. According to their lawyers, they benefited from the amnesty introduced by Georgian Dream prior to the parliamentary elections.
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The lawyer representing Davit Kutaladze and Tsotne Chikhladze, Sergo Khurtsidze, told Georgian News that his clients had served 3 years and 4 months of their respective 4-year prison sentences.
"They were supposed to leave the penitentiary in 8 months, in July 2025. A total of six people were arrested in this case, and all of them will be released," said the lawyer.
On January 16, 2023, Tbilisi Court of Appeal Judge Maia Tetrauli acquitted all six defendants of the second part of Article 225 of the Criminal Code, which pertains to participation in organized group violence. The judge reduced the original 5-year prison sentences handed down by the first-instance court to 4 years. The defendants - Davit Kutaladze, Akaki Nakashidze, Tornike Davlasheridze, Otar Gelashvili, Tsotne Chikhladze, and Gia Giguashvili - were found guilty of illegally obstructing a journalist in their professional activities (Article 154), persecuting a person in connection with their professional activities (Article 156), and causing intentional less severe bodily harm (Article 118).
"The responsibility for the release of the individuals who beat Lekso to death and assaulted Miranda Baghaturia lies with all the deputies of Georgian Dream who voted for the amnesty law articles that allowed these perpetrators to leave prison. This was a premeditated action by the Georgian Dream MPs because they owed favors to these individuals," said Nodar Meladze, head of the news service at the TV Pirveli company.
According to Nona Kurdovanidze, chairwoman of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA), "Amnesty should not have been applied to the charges under which these individuals served their sentences. As per Amnesty Law, it does not extend to crimes covered by Article 154 of the Criminal Code."
"It is curious on what basis they were granted such benefits. We will publicly address this question to the Penitentiary Department and will also send a formal inquiry. One of the conditions for joining the European Union was a thorough investigation of the events of July 5, not granting benefits to those already convicted. The organizers of the violence remain unpunished," said Kurdovanidze. GYLA represents the interests of the Lashkarava family.
On July 5, 2021, at the call of the Patriarchate of Georgia, the pro-Russian organization Alt-Info and other homophobic groups organized an action against the Tbilisi Pride event, the March for Dignity. During the rally, they attacked journalists in groups, physically assaulted them, and destroyed their equipment. 53 journalists, cameramen, and photographers fell victim to the violence. Several were seriously injured and required medical attention. Among them was 36-year-old Aleksandre Lashkarava, a cameraman for the TV Pirveli company, who was attacked by a homophobic group in the office of the Sirshvilia movement. Lashkarava was discharged from the hospital on July 8 and was found dead at his home on the morning of July 11.
On January 7, 2022, media outlets published excerpts from the forensic conclusion by the Levan Samkharauli National Bureau of Forensic Examination regarding Lashkarava's death. Based on the report, the cause of death was "acute cardiovascular and respiratory failure resulting from heroin intoxication." The Ministry of Internal Affairs had suggested a drug overdose as a possible cause from the day of Lashkarava's death. According to the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, the Ministry's refusal to involve international experts in the examination, despite public calls to do so, undermines confidence in the findings.
The investigation into Lekso Lashkarava's death was conducted under Article 115 of the Criminal Code, which relates to incitement to suicide. The results of the investigation remain unknown.
Approximately 30 people were arrested in connection with the events of July 5, 2021. None of the organizers of the violence have been held accountable.
