Media managers meet US Ambassador to discuss Mtavari Arkhi channel founder sentencing

A discussion of the sentencing of Nika Gvaramia, the founder of Mtavari Arkhi channel and former Director of Rustavi 2, by Tbilisi City Court was held in a meeting between the United States Ambassador Kelly Degnan and representatives of Georgian media outlets on Wednesday.

Giorgi Gabunia, the Acting Director General of Mtavari Arkhi, said the talk had included the question of a release of Gvaramia from detention, and noted the media managers had “positive expectations” following the meeting with the US official.

The channel representative also said he could not talk about details of the meeting, including comments made by the Ambassador, as the gathering had been held in a closed format.

Gabunia said the media representatives had “a lot to say” to Degnan on the case, with the Court decision prompting Gvaramia’s supporters to allege political motivation in the sentencing of the opposition-minded channel’s founder.

Tbilisi City Court on Monday sentenced Gvaramia to three years and six months in prison on the charges relating to his time heading Rustavi 2. The sentencing follows 2020 charges against Gvaramia by the Prosecutor’s Office, 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 latter has been acquitted by the Court of commercial bribery and forgery in the case.