![]() ![]() "Disappointing move & huge blow to media pluralism in #Georgia," Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) media-freedom representative Dunja Mijatovic said on Twitter. "We urge the Georgian government to take steps to ensure that the media environment remains free, open, and pluralistic," the embassy's March 2 statement said. Embassy in Tbilisi had said the court ruling "could effectively limit the access of opposition voices to Georgian broadcast media." Georgia is one of 47 members of the ECHR, which was established in 1959 and bases its rulings on the European Convention on Human Rights of 1950. No one was available at the ECHR in Strasbourg late on March 3 to comment about the letter Georgian Dream defeated Saakashvili's party in an election in 2012 and strengthened its hold on power in another ballot in October 2016. Opposition politicians charge that billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, who founded the Georgian Dream coalition and served as prime minister for a year, was behind the court ruling. Khalvashi contends that the Georgian authorities under former President Mikheil Saakashvili forced him to sell the station at an undervalued price. The demonstrators claim the Georgian court's decision was made to help the authorities in Tbilisi silence criticism. Hundreds of protesters rallied outside the Supreme Court in Tbilisi on March 2 to protest its ruling and then moved to Rustavi-2's headquarters, where some continued their rally on March 3. WATCH: Rally For Pro-Opposition Georgian TV Stationĭemonstrators who have been protesting the Georgian Supreme Court's ruling were cheering on the streets of Tbilisi after the head of Rustavi-2 TV, Nika Gvaramia, announced the ECHR's decision. The ECHR says it grants requests for an interim measure "only on an exceptional basis, when the applicant would otherwise face a real risk of serious and irreversible harm." The ECHR describes "interim measures" as an "urgent measure which, according to the Court's well-established practice, apply only where there is an imminent risk of irreparable harm." The letter also describes the ECHR ruling as an "interim measure is granted temporarily" until March 8. The ECHR letter of March 3 says that "the enforcement of the Supreme Court's decision" of March 2 "should be suspended and that the authorities should abstain from interfering" in any manner with the "editorial policy" of Rustavi-2 TV. The ruling angered government opponents in Georgia and caused concern in the West about freedom of the media in the former Soviet republic. Georgia's Supreme Court ruled late on March 2 that Rustavi-2 TV should be returned to former co-owner Kibar Khalvashi. Georgia's Justice Ministry said a letter confirming the decision of the European court was received on March 3 by lawyers from Rustavi-2 TV, a popular station known for reports that are critical of the government in Tbilisi. His lawyers then said their client had purchased the broadcasting company for $7 million USD in 2004 but was forced under strong pressure of the Saakashvili-led government and ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili to concede the property to a new owner in December 2006.The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has called upon Georgia's Supreme Court to temporarily suspend a ruling that would hand over a popular independent television station to an owner with alleged ties to the government. Khalvashi filed a lawsuit in 2015 and, as an interim measure, also requested that the court freeze the broadcaster’s assets until the final verdict be released so as to prevent the current owners from selling their shares. Photo: Rustavi 2/FacebookĮstablished in 1994, the broadcasting company changed ownership numerous times between 20. TV channel staff, Rustavi 2 supporters and opposition politicians gathered in front of the parliament building this February. Many of them are now saying the decision is a blow to "freedom of speech”. Protesters supporting Rustavi 2’s current management under Director General Gvaramia had gathered in front of the court waiting for the verdict since the afternoon. Up until the recent verdict, the broadcasting company was managed by Nika Gvaramia, who previously held multiple positions in the Cabinet of Ministers during Mikheil Saakashvili’s presidency. The verdict came out today in favor of former Rustavi 2 shareholder Kibar Khalvashi.īased on the unanimous verdict of the nine-member high chamber of the Supreme Court, 60 percent of the TV company’s shares will go directly to Khalvashi while the remaining 40 percent to Panorama LTD, which is a company owned by him. Georgia’s Supreme Court has delivered a verdict in the ownership case of one of Georgia’s largest TV channels, Rustavi 2. ![]()
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