Georgian President Calls ECHR Verdict on Rustavi 2 "Unprecedented"

Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has assessed the recent verdict of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on the Rustavi 2 TV ownership dispute as “unprecedented” decision.

According to her, with this verdict, the ECHR has recognized impartiality of the Georgian court and fairness of its decisions.

“ECHR decisions in the Cases regarding Georgia are unprecedented, in that they recognize that the Georgian courts in the related case acted impartially and in fairness. This, by showing trust in the judicial system, gives a strong basis for the upcoming 4th wave of judicial reform. This is for Georgia another big step towards Europe”, Zurabishvili stated

Zurabishvili also said that she shares the spirit of the ECHR decisions and trusts that freedom of expression "is and will be under no threat" in Georgia. 

“As the President, responsible, according to the Constitution, for protecting those principles, I share the spirit of the ECHR decisions. I also trust that another fundamental principle, that of freedom of expression, is and will be under no threat”, she tweeted.

On July 18, the European Court of Human Rights delivered a verdict in the ownership dispute of one of Georgia’s largest TV channels, Rustavi 2.

According to the Court’s judgment, there were no violations of any Article of the European Convention on Human Rights in the case of Rustavi 2. Additionally, the rights of Rustavi 2 and its owners were not violated in the Georgian courts. Rustavi 2 can appeal the case in the Grand Chamber of Strasbourg.

The Strasbourg Court suspended a temporary measure whereby the mechanism of suspending the judgment of the Supreme Court of Georgia will no longer exist. Accordingly, the TV company was reregistered to shareholder Kibar Khalvashi, as it was decided by the courts of three instances in Georgia. 

Related Story: European Court of Human Rights Releases Verdict on Rustavi 2 TV

By Ana Dumbadze