US embassy vows to continue support for Georgian media freedom, judicial reforms after court ruling on channel head
In a statement over the matter, the American diplomatic mission noted “numerous international and Georgian human rights defenders” had raised “significant” questions about the case from the start. Photo: US Embassy in Tbilisi
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The United States embassy in Tbilisi on Wednesday reiterated its “deep concern” over the judgement of the Tbilisi court of appeals which upheld the verdict of the Tbilisi city court against Nika Gvaramia, the imprisoned head of the Mtavari Arkhi TV channel, and kept him in imprisonment for charges of having caused damage through commercial deals to Rustavi 2 channel he led in 2015 and 2019.
In a statement over the matter, the American diplomatic mission noted “numerous international and Georgian human rights defenders” had raised “significant” questions about the case from the start.
The United States Embassy reiterates our deep concern regarding today’s decision in the case of Gvaramia, Iashvili, and Damenia. Numerous international and Georgian human rights defenders have raised significant questions about this case from the start, including about the timing and charges, as well as the conviction and sentence”, the statement said.
The statement stressed that even the perception of “selective investigations, prosecutions, and convictions” diminished the public’s confidence in law enforcement, the prosecution, the courts, and the government itself.
At a time when Georgia’s commitment to an impartial judiciary and media pluralism is being closely reviewed, the continued imprisonment of Nika Gvaramia, the Director General of the main opposition TV channel, puts at risk the clear choice of the people of Georgia – and Georgian leaders’ stated goal – for a more secure, democratic European future”, the statement continued.
The embassy added the US would continue to support media freedom and the judicial reforms that “are necessary to build the stable, prosperous democracy the people of Georgia have clearly said they desire”.
Gvaramia was sentenced to three years and six months in prison on charges of having caused financial damage to Rustavi 2 and obtaining property through commercial deals in 2015 and 2019 respectively.
Irakli Kobakidze, the chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday said the European Parliament resolution on the violations of media freedom and the safety of journalists in Georgia, adopted in June, was “politically biased” and sought a “specific interest”, after the Tbilisi court of appeals upheld a verdict against the head of a TV channel supported by a part of the domestic opposition.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday said president Salome Zourabichvili would “insult” her office by pardoning Nika Gvaramia, the imprisoned head of the Mtavari Arkhi TV channel, following calls by opposition politicians for the move.
Tbilisi court of appeals of Wednesday upheld the verdict of Tbilisi city court against the head of the Mtavari Arkhi TV channel Nika Gvaramia, keeping him in custody for charges of abuse of power in 2015 and 2019, during his time at the helm of Rustavi 2 channel.
Georgian prosecutor Zviad Gubeladze who is working on Rustavi 2 case says that the ex-head of the TV channel Nika Gvaramia’s guilt in the case of the misuse of the TV station's funds back in 2015 is proved by the testimony of the company’s accountant. Former director general of Rustavi 2 Nika Gvaramia along with former financial director of the TV company Kakhaber Damenia and head of LTD Intermedia Plus Zurab Iashvili were charged with misspending of funds, bribery and fabrication of documents after the Rustavi 2 was returned to its former owner Kibar Khalvashi in July 2019.
Mamuka Mdinaradze, the executive secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday said the statement by United States embassy lamenting court decision keeping Mtavari Arkhi TV director in imprisonment meant the diplomatic office had “admitted for the first time” the channel was a “party media” for the opposition.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday said the statement by the United States embassy that lamented this week’s court decision keeping Mtavari Arkhi TV director in imprisonment was a “direct interference” in the independence of the country’s judiciary.