Parliamentary Human Rights Committee Chair rejects political persecution claims over TV channel founder sentencing

Mikheil Sarjveladze, the Chairman of the Georgian Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights, on Monday rejected claims of political persecution in the sentencing of Nika Gvaramia, the founder of Mtavari Arkhi channel and former Director of Rustavi 2 channel, by the Tbilisi City Court on charges of embezzlement, commercial bribery, forgery and money laundering.

Sarjveladze made the comment following claims by Gvaramia’s supporters and members of the political opposition, who alleged political motives in the sentencing of the head of the opposition-minded channel, delivered earlier on Monday.

“I do not think there is a reason for anyone to talk about political persecution. [The issue] is politically sensitive, because Gvaramia's activities are political in nature. Consequently, this raises political sensitivities, but does not mean that in a given situation anyone can speak about political persecution. It has been convincingly explained that there was an offence [in Gvaramia’s case] which the court found to be a crime,” the Committee Chair said.

Tbilisi City Court on Monday sentenced Gvaramia to 3.6 years in prison on the charges relating to his time heading the Rustavi 2 channel.

The sentencing follows 2020 charges against Gvaramia by the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia, with Kakha Damenia, the former Financial Director of Rustavi 2, and Zurab Iashvili, the Director of Inter Media Plus, also sought for indictment in the case, the Georgian Public Broadcasting said.

The latter has been acquitted by the Court of commercial bribery and forgery in the case.