On November 9, at 6pm - Human Rights House Tbilisi held a press conference about the November 8 night incidents against activists in front of the Amirani Cinema in Tbilisi.
On November 8, the members of the ultra-nationalist groups gathered near the Amirani Cinema to combat screening of the queer movie “And Then We Danced”. The protesters verbally and physically assaulted the people and human rights defenders, who came to see the movie. They threw unidentified heavy subject at the civil activist Ani Subeliani and badly injured her near the eye. As Ani reported, she became subject of purposeful attack – they recognized her and then threw the subject at her in the head. The protesters also physically and verbally assaulted LGBT activist Tamaz Sozashvili.
The incident proves that human rights defenders, particularly LGBT activists, often become subjects of intimidation, assault and other oppression. Who will defend the rights of the human rights defenders? How real is the threat the HRDs face? The chairwoman of the Human Rights House Tbilisi Baia Pataraia spoke about these issues during the press-conference.
The lawyers of Human Rights Center, the HRH Tbilisi member organization, defend interests of the injured activists.