Georgian Opposition Addresses Strasbourg Court over Rustavi 2 TV Case

Twelve Georgian opposition parties have addressed the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg, asking them to prolong suspended enforcement of the verdict over Rustavi 2 TV reached on March 2, 2017, by the Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court of Georgia.

The opposition parties claim that the government wants to remove the most critical TV channel before the October presidential elections.

The parties believe that the continuation of the ECHR temporary measure is of utmost importance for Georgian democracy.

“The fact that there can still be found democracy and freedom of speech signs in Georgia, including pluralistic media outlet for voicing opposition ideas, it is the merit of the ECHR, which suspended the government-orchestrated court verdict on the Rustavi 2 dispute. This helped the broadcaster to remain impartial and critical. We do hope that this temporary measure will be in force until the dispute is over,” the statement of 12 opposition parties reads.

The Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court of Georgia, which is tasked with solving the most complex cases, made the final decision on the high-profile Rustavi 2 TV dispute and granted the assets of the broadcaster to its former owner, Kibar Khalvashi, in early March, 2017.

Khalvashi was a co-owner of Rustavi 2 from 2004 to 2006. He filed a lawsuit in August 2015 to reclaim his shares, saying he was illegally deprived of his company under the previous United National Movement (UNM) government.

The case was handed to the Grand Chamber on November 21, 2016. On March 2, 2017, the Chamber, which consists of nine judges, including the Chair of the Supreme Court, ruled that 60% of Rustavi 2 TV shares were to be given to Khalvashi and the remaining 40% to Panorama LTD, which is a company owned by him.

The Chamber made the decision on the background of protest rallies organized by Rustavi 2 and its supporter opposition parties, who demanded “a fair decision” from the court. However, the ECHR suspended the decision the following day.

The ECHR is a supra-national or international court established by the European Convention on Human Rights. It serves to hear applications alleging that a contracting state has breached one or more of the human rights provisions concerning civil and political rights set out in the Convention and its protocols.

By Thea Morrison

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Strasburg Court Suspends Georgia’s Supreme Court’s Verdict over Rustavi 2 TV