Kibar Khalvashi, Rustavi 2's new owner. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch--The new owner of Rustavi 2 is not planning to sell his shares. Instead, Kibar Shalvashi plans to develop Georgia's largest opposition TV channel as a "critical and rigorous" outlet. "I consider it my primary duty to put television freed from Saakashvili into public service and [...]
Nika Gvaramia at Tbilisi City Court. (1tv.ge.) TBILISI, DFWatch--Tbilisi City Court has placed Nika Gvaramia under GEL 40,000 bail in a controversial corruption trial that the opposition calls politically motivated. Initially, the Prosecutor’s Office wanted even stricter bail conditions: GEL 80,000 bail and banning the former head of Rustavi 2 from leaving the country. [...]
Backers of Rustavi 2 claim the dispute is aimed at silencing critical opposition media. TBILISI, DFWatch--Georgia's largest opposition TV channel Rustavi 2 will likely be taken over by an allegedly government-backed investor after losing the final court battle over its ownership at the European Court of Human Rights. In Thursday’s judgment, the court held [...]
Nika Gvaramia, CEO of Rustavi 2. TBILISI, DFWatch--The director of Georgia main opposition TV company said Monday that the government has launched a new attack against it, and claimed the goal is to kill its editorial policy. Rustavi 2 director Nika Gvaramia also accused billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili of personal involvement in a new lawsuit [...]
Rustavi 2 director Nika Gvaramia. TBILISI, DFWatch–The director of Georgia’s biggest opposition TV company claims the government is using tax laws to to get it off air ahead of the local elections in October. “TV company Rustavi 2 is again under threat […] The state is seemingly preparing for a decisive blow […]
Nika Gvaramia. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Rustavi 2 director general Nika Gvaramia resigns. Gvaramia’s resignation was reported yesterday by several Georgian media outlets and confirmed Friday morning by one of the TV company’s editors who spoke to DFWatch on condition of anonymity. […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–A Georgian judge at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) suspects that a police raid against her brother’s apartment was connected to her work. “I have reason to believe that [the police raid] is related to my work at the European Court of Human Rights. […]
Nona Tsotsoria (center) at a meeting with Supreme Court judges in Latvia. (Photo published by the Latvian government.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The opposition in Georgia claims the police raided the flat of a judge’s brother to put pressure on the judge after an unfavorable decision in the ECHR. Police carried out a raid Thursday night in the flat of brother of a judge who currently represents Georgia […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s embattled opposition TV company Rustavi 2 has lost control over its web domain and has had to switch to a different address to stay online. In a statement posted online on its new address, Rustavi 2 blamed former owner David Dvali […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–The owners of Georgia’s biggest opposition TV station have offered to hand over a controlling stake in the company to its staff. The brothers Giorgi and Levan Karamanishvili published an open letter to the staff of Rustavi 2 staff on Friday, offering them shares in the embattled TV company. […]
Ambassador Tedo Japaridze is a former Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations in the Parliament of Georgia. Every time someone in Brussels criticizes the Georgian government, a chain reaction begins in Tbilisi. With specs of truth, the opposition starts a fire designed to scorch the reputation of Georgia, while certain media will provide ventilation. It is not long before the whole […]
A letter by ICHR to Rustavi 2 lawyer published on Facebook by Rustavi 2 director Nika Gvaramia TBILISI, DFWatch–The European Court of Human Rights on Tuesday confirmed a decision by one of its judges to suspend a ruling by Georgia’s Supreme Court about changing the ownership of the opposition-leaning TV company Rustavi 2. “A Chamber constituted from the Section […]
PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s prime minister proposes creating an office of media ombudsman. The PM’s proposal comes at the same time as the situation surrounding a lawsuit about the country’s most popular TV company remains in a deadlock. After a meeting with PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili […]
A scene from the February 19 rally. (Rustavi 2.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Embattled Georgian TV channel Rustavi 2 plans another rally in Tbilisi on Saturday to protest what it claims is an attempt by authorities to silence free speech in the country. On March 3, Georgia’s Supreme Court upheld a decision to change ownership of Rustavi 2. […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–The director of Georgia’s largest opposition TV company says the European Court of Human Rights has decided to temporarily suspend a ruling by the former Soviet republic’s Supreme Court which changes the ownership of the company, Rustavi 2. […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian president on Friday stepped into the tense situation surrounding the largest TV station in the country, urging all sides to refrain from undertaking ‘immediate’ action. The decision led to a protest […]
(Rustavi 2.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Opposition activists and supporters of Rustavi 2 held a vigil at the studio complex last night, after the Supreme Court upheld a decision to hand ownership of the embattled TV company over to a private investor who critics fear will silence the government’s […]
Rustavi 2 director Nika Gvaramia. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Supreme Court in the former Soviet republic of Georgia has controversially upheld a decision to take away ownership of the country’s biggest opposition TV channel and hand it to a private investor. Critics say the decision will effectively silence […]
Rustavi 2’s director Nika Gvaramia. (Palitra TV.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Supreme Court in the former Soviet republic of Georgia on Thursday begins to review a highly publicised lawsuit about the ownership over the country’s biggest TV channel. The case concerns who shall control 100 percent of shares in Rustavi 2, […]
News anchor Zaal Udumashvili. (Rustavi 2.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A rally is underway in the center of Tbilisi to show solidarity with Rustavi 2, as a decision is expected in the Supreme Court that could change its ownership, and – according to supporters of the TV company – bring its criticism of the government to a halt. […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–A demonstration in front of Tbilisi City Hall on Monday turned violent when activists for the United National Movement (UNM) tried to break into City Hall in order to meet Mayor Davit Narmania. Thirteen members of the opposition supporters were […]
(Tabula.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Activists from Georgia’s former ruling party gathered in front of the Supreme Court building in Tbilisi on Friday to support their TV station, Rustavi 2, in a private lawsuit that could dampen down its criticism of the government. The activists marched down […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–A former Georgian defense minister has revealed the existence of a contract which appears to invalidate the takeover of one of the main TV stations in the country, as the Supreme Court is considering the case. The city court in Tbilisi decided in November […]
Rustavi 2 lawyer Tamta Muradashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Appeals Court in Georgia upheld a decision by Tbilisi City Court to transfer ownership of the largest opposition TV station, Rustavi 2, to Kibar Khalvashi, a former owner. Khalvashi successfully sued claiming that Rustavi 2 was forcibly […]
Nika Gvaramia. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Tbilisi City Court on Thursday restored the status of the managers of TV channel Rustavi 2, including its director general, and abolished the status of one of the interim managers. The background is a ruling by the city court earlier this year […]
The staff of Rustavi 2. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The feud over the ownership of Georgia’s most powerful anti-government television channel became even more obscure Wednesday evening, as the Public Registry denied having registered a document appointing a new manager of Rustavi 2. […]
Zaal Udumashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The interim owners of Georgia’s largest anti-government TV channel have appointed the anchor Zaal Udumashvili as new manager, but he rejected the job. The failed attempt to appoint a new manager follows several months of legal […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Tbilisi City Court ruled Tuesday to transfer ownership of one of Georgia’s largest TV channels to a businessman whom the opposition believes is acting on orders from the government. The court decided that 100 percent of shares in Rustavi 2, a TV channel sympathetic to the National Movement, […]
(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A violent takeover of the embattled Georgian television station Rustavi 2 has apparently been averted, as the Constitutional Court decided to review a case filed in a lower court about the suspension of the government’s power to immediately enforce a court ruling. […]
President Giorgi Margvelashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian president views as it unacceptable to have a senior official in a foreign country interfering in domestic affairs and planning mayhem in Georgia. President Giorgi Margvelashvili’s briefing on Friday was held in response to the controversy […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–The lawsuit about the ownership of an opposition television channel resumed in the city court in Tbilisi on Monday. The judge ordered Rustavi 2’s lawyers to present an estimate of expected losses after the court ordered the seizure of the company’s property. […]
(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Prosecutor General’s Office in Georgia says the director of the embattled television company Rustavi 2 and another person gave contradictory testimony on Thursday in a blackmail case. Rustavi 2 director Nika Gvaramia […]
Davit Usupashvili (IPN) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s speaker of parliament calls on authorities and the opposition to avoid making statements that justify violence, as the tension continues surrounding a lawsuit about the ownership of opposition TV channel Rustavi 2. Following […]
Nika Gvaramia. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian Prosecutor General’s Office Thursday evening named the person who allegedly passed on messages from the government to the director of a television company. Rustavi 2 director Nika Gvaramia said Wednesday that […]
President Giorgi Margvelashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian president Thursday criticized the prime minister for a statement made the same day about the leaking of abuse videos and a lawsuit to determine the ownership of a television company. Instead of defusing the situation PM Garibashvili’s […]
The Saakashvili Presidential Library. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–More footage of rape and torture was published on a Ukrainian website Thursday evening, as attacks on the former ruling party’s offices continue throughout Georgia. Members and supporters of the National Movement believe that the footage […]
Nika Gvaramia. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Prosecutor General’s Office has launched an investigation prompted by a live TV speech on Wednesday in which the director of Rustavi 2 claimed he was blackmailed. According to the short statement by the Prosecutor General’s […]
Nika Gvaramia. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A day before Tbilisi City Court is to announce a ruling in a lawsuit about Rustavi 2, the director of the TV company went on the air to tell viewers that he was threatened by representatives of the government. Instead of the ordinary news program […]
Supporters of Rustavi 2 demonstrated outside parliament in Kutaisi. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A court hearing in Tbilisi in a lawsuit about control over Georgian television company Rustavi 2 ended without much progress Friday. The preparatory hearing in Tbilisi City Court concerned a lawsuit by businessman Kibar Khalvashi against Rustavi 2. […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–The owners of Rustavi 2 fear that the seizure of the TV company’s property may cause it to go bankrupt. The court ordered the seizure of Rustavi 2’s property more than a week ago on the grounds of a lawsuit by its former owner Kibar Khalvashi. […]
Kibar Khalvashi. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Tbilisi City Court on Monday allowed a lawsuit against the TV company Rustavi 2 to proceed. Rustavi 2’s lawyer claims that the lawsuit has no legal basis. The case was filed by the businessman Kibar Khalvashi, who was once […]
(Rustavi 2.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The original owners of a Georgian TV company whose property was seized a few days ago by a court, claimed on Sunday that it is controlled by the opposition party National Movement and that it ‘has nothing to do with independent media.’ […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–A court in Tbilisi on Friday ordered the seizure of all property owned by Georgia’s biggest independent TV company, Rustavi 2 reported on its website. According to the statement, the decision was passed on Wednesday, August 5, […]
