Hundreds of journalists gathered in Georgia Tuesday to honour a TV cameraman who died after being beaten by far-right assailants and to warn against attempts to limit media freedom.
Alexander Lashkarava, a 37-year-old cameraman working for independent TV station Pirveli, was found dead at home in the early hours on Sunday, less than a week after he was assaulted by a violent mob protesting against a planned LGBTQ Pride parade.
His death, and the beating of dozens of other journalists by the mob, has prompted a wave of outrage in the Caucasus country and abroad, with Reporters Without Borders (RSF) saying it "marks a disastrous turning point for the freedom to inform in Georgia."
A huge crowd gathered outside Lashkarava's home on Tuesday ahead of his funeral and burst into applause as his coffin was carried through a corridor of colleagues with their cameras lowered on tripods.
Lashkarava's death has sparked two days of protests with thousands taking to the streets to demand Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili's resignation, saying his government has enabled violence against journalists.
On Monday, opposition lawmakers disrupted parliament and scuffled with ruling party MPs, blaming the party for attacks on journalists.
-The government has always been trying to suffocate independent media- Eka Mishveladze, a Pirveli TV journalist, said in televised remarks from the funeral.
Lashkarava's "death is the last straw," she said.
-Today we mourn the death of our colleague, but as of tomorrow everyone will see what force independent media have- Vakho Sanaia, a journalist working at the Formula TV network, said at the ceremony.
-We will not surrender this country to murderers.-
More than 50 journalists were attacked last Monday by anti-LGBTQ groups protesting the planned Pride march, which was cancelled over safety fears.
RSF has condemned the attacks, saying journalists "sustained injuries that included concussion, chemical burns and broken arms."
It accused authorities of "culpable passivity" and said police had failed to protect journalists.