Following the death of a journalist, four Georgian opposition television channels went on a 24-hour break from broadcasting. They wanted to protest against the government of the Black Sea Republic, which they accuse of inaction and lack of protection for media workers.
TV Pirveli, for which 37-year-old Alexander Laschkarawa worked, issued a statement on Wednesday calling for Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili to resign. Laschkarawa was beaten up by anti-gay activists early last week in a dispute over a demo for gay and lesbian rights. He was taken to hospital seriously injured and released a few days later. On Sunday he was found dead in his apartment in the capital Tbilisi.
Several journalists were temporarily arrested during protests that followed. The ex-Soviet republic of Georgia is striving towards the EU with a pro-Western policy, but in the country with an influential Orthodox Church there are strong conservative forces who struggle with liberal ideas.
© SZ / dpa / cag