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.