Headquarters of Tbilisi-based Rustavi 2 TV. Photo: Eana Korbezashvili/Civil.ge

Georgian civil society organizations, media representatives and opposition political parties issued appeals to the European Court of Human Rights, welcoming its ruling to temporarily suspend the enforcement of the Supreme Court’s March 2 decision.

Civil Society Organizations

Thirty-four non-governmental organizations addressed the European Court of Human Rights on March 5, urging it to prolong the interim measure until the Court “will be in a position to consider the case on the merits.”

The organizations underlined that the principle of fair trial was breached throughout the judicial proceedings over Rustavi 2 ownership dispute.

“Signatories do greatly appreciate and respect the right to property,” it said, but added that “even though at the national level this case was (nominally) represented as a dispute between two private parties over property ownership, it left clear impression that the government has been attempting to take control over the main opposition media outlet.”

The organizations pointed out that doubts have been raised regarding the “the political context” of the case and “the independence and impartiality” of the judiciary.

CSOs underlined that “Rustavi 2 is critical to the government and at the same time, it is the most-watched private TV Company in Georgia.” “High-level government officials often did not refrain from openly criticizing the broadcaster because of its critical editorial policy,” the statement said.

“The change of the editorial policy of Rustavi 2 … could prove to be a decisive blow for the free media,” it also stated. “In Georgia, this will likely cause irreparable damage to the pluralistic media environment in the country which, in itself, will have an extremely negative impact on the country’s democratic development,” the statement added.

The organizations also noted that the editorial policy and independence “might be at high risk,” should the ownership of Rustavi 2 change.

Media Organizations

Over one hundred representatives of print and online media, television channels and radio stations, released an open letter on March 5 welcoming the ECHR ruling and expressing hope that the Court “will maintain the interim measure until the final decision on the case is rendered.”

“We are closely watching the developments around Rustavi 2 TV since we believe that the case will have a significant impact on freedom of expression, media environment and development of democracy in Georgia,” the letter stated.

“Signs of political influence” in the judicial process and the Government officials’ “constant criticism” of the editorial policy, the letter said, “created an impression that the current owners of Rustavi 2 were deprived of the right for a fair trial inside the country.”

“The change of ownership of the country’s major, most-watched channel that is independent from the government may jeopardize Georgian democracy and the access of citizens to unbiased information and diverse opinions,” the letter added.

Political Parties

Fifteen opposition political parties, including the United National Movement, the Movement for Freedom-European Georgia, the Free Democrats, the Labor Party, issued an appeal to international organizations on March 5 calling on “all relevant organizations and democratic world to raise voice against the attacks on freedom of speech and media pluralism in Georgia.”

“Rustavi 2, the only major, pro-Western broadcasting company critical of Georgian Government is at the verge of takeover by Bidzina Ivanishvili, de facto ruler of the country. Rustavi 2 was the last major media outlet outside the control of former Prime Minister Ivanishvili and his Georgian Dream party,” the statement said and added that the Supreme Court attributed Rustavi 2 TV company ownership to Ivanishvili’s proxy.

“The decision is a major blow to judicial independence and runs contrary to the obligations taken by the Georgian Government in its association agreement with the European Union,” the statement also said.

“Democracy in our country is in peril as the informal ruler Bidzina Ivanishvili and his Georgian Dream party have gained absolute control over executive and legislative branches and are destroying state institutions - including the presidential office, while undermining independence of judiciary, including the Constitutional Court. All this might irreversibly harm Georgia’s democratic path and Euro-Atlantic integration,” the statement added.