Tbilisi rally of reporters, media managers protests Mtavari Arkhi founder sentencing

Reporters and media managers of various media outlets held a rally in support of Nika Gvaramia, the founder of Mtavari Arkhi channel, who was sentenced to three years and six months in prison by Tbilisi City Court on Tuesday.

One of the organisers of the rally, TV host Inga Grigolia, said with the imprisonment of Gvaramia “very serious developments begin for free Georgian media,” noting the “struggle” would be “very hard,” but “definitely end with victory” for the founder of the opposition-minded channel.

The protesting reporters and media managers were joined by representatives of some opposition political parties and non-governmental organisations in the capital.

After marching from the Republic Square to the Parliament building, the demonstrators moved to the offices of Mtavari Arkhi. Expressing solidarity with Gvaramia, they claimed he was a political prisoner and should be “released immediately”.

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.