Prosecutor’s Office cites lack of evidence to punish people for ‘illegal seizure’ of Rustavi 2
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Wednesday, June 19
The Georgian Chief Prosecutor’s Office says that it is hard to punish possible offenders for the “illegal seizure” of Georgia’s one of the most influential private broadcasters Rustavi 2 back in 2004, under the United National Movement leadership.
The Office says that the investigation into the case was launched after the appeal of founders of Rustavi 2 David Dvali and Jarji Akimidze in 2012, shortly after the Georgian Dream coalition defeated the nine-year rule of the United National Movement government.
“It is complicated to collect evidence to punish possible offenders when so many years are passed from the incident,” the Office says, adding that the investigation into the case will continue despite the fact the limitation period of the case expired earlier this month.
Akimidze and Dvali requested the continuation of the investigation before the Prosecutor’s Office made the statement.
They said that investigation must be prolonged as no one of the former officials, “who seized the property illegally,” have been punished so far.
They also said that the Georgian Dream leadership “did nothing” to help them regain their lost property.
Rustavi 2 was established in 1994, and since the time its leadership has changed 20 times, local NGO Transparency International Georgia says.
In March 2017, Georgia’s Supreme Court delivered a verdict in favor of former shareholder of the channel (in 2004-2006) Kibar Khalvashi, who filed a lawsuit in 2015, giving him 100 percent of the company shares.
The current leadership of the channel appealed the verdict to the European Court of Human Rights, and the court temporarily suspended the enforcement of the verdict of the Georgian court.
The ownership issue will not be settled until the European court announces its decision regarding the case.
Current heads of the channel say that the Georgian Dream leadership is trying to close the TV for criticizing them.
