WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th June, 2019) Georgian authorities should investigate violence against journalists during the course of recent clashes between police and protesters in Tbilisi, Reporters Without Borders Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk head Johann Bihr said in a statement on Monday.
"The media have been subjected to unacceptable violence," Bihr said. "Full and impartial investigations must be carried out into each of these incidents, and clear instructions must be given to the police to avoid use of such disproportionate force against journalists in the future."
On the evening of June 20, thousands of people took part in the protest outside Georgia's parliament in Tbilisi after a Russian legislator addressed legislators from the speaker's chair as part of a forum of parliamentarians from Orthodox Christian countries.
At around midnight, protesters tried to storm the parliament building and police responded by firing rubber bullets, teargas and water cannons. Georgia's health ministry said at least 160 protesters and 80 police officers were injured in the clashes.
Reporters Without Borders said citing a local NGO that some 30 reporters were also injured, mostly by rubber bullets.
Photographer Guram Muradov was reportedly hit ten times by rubber bullets and Reuters reporter Maka Antidze was injured by a brick thrown at her.
On Sunday, Georgian journalists took to the streets outside the country's interior ministry headquarters to demand justice for their colleagues, according to the Reporters Without Borders.
