Affiliated media: Rustavi 2, TV channel

Incident date: May 7, 2019

Attack type:

• Selective application of repressive laws

Who attacked: Authorities

Source: agenda.ge

Location: Georgia, Tbilisi

Additional information:

Director of Rustavi 2 Nika Gvaramia believes legal action taken by shareholder Nino Nizharadze is the ruling party’s “new phase of attack” against the TV company and that the real reason of the lawsuit is to change the channel’s “editorial policy” and to abolish “the main oppositional channel”. Nino Nizharadze, who inherited nine percent of shares of Rustavi 2 - one of the largest private companies in Georgia - from her husband Gogi Gegeshidze, is demanding 28 million GEL (about $10.3m). The plaintiff is demanding compensation for damages she and Rustavi 2 suffered because of mismanagement. The company's lawyer Tamta Muradashvili also stated that this lawsuit is “absurd” and politically motivated.