Georgian Public Television cameraman Ilya Tvaliashvili injured his eyes after being beaten by a homophobic extremist group in Tbilisi on 5 July.

“Alik Media” reported.

In an interview with a local TV channel, Tvalishavili said that one eye had completely lost the ability to see, he did not know when he would be able to return to work.

According to Ilya, while shooting the report, he was attacked from different directions. He remembers that he rolled on the ground and the attackers started hitting with feet and hands. He received many blows to the head. He lost consciousness during one of the blows. He says he still cannot understand how one can beat a completely strange man who did not do you any harm.

A second person has already been arrested today on charges of assaulting the Public Television cameraman. A total of 21 people were detained for attacking journalists. They were charged under three articles of the Georgian Criminal Code. Illegal obstruction of journalists’ professional activities with the threat of violence (punishable by a fine or imprisonment of up to two years), persecution accompanied by violence (punishable by a fine or imprisonment of up to three years), participation in group violence (punishable by four to six years in prison).