David Kezerashvili, the former Minister of Defence of Georgia, announced the conclusion of a two-year legal battle against the BBC, resulting in the media company removing all investigative reports from its platforms.
“It has been unequivocally proven that the accusations against me were severe defamation,” Kezerashvili stated. The settlement obliges the BBC to never republish these defamatory materials and to cover all legal costs spent by Kezerashvili.
“Audited materials and legal documents clearly reveal that claims of any illegal income were entirely false,” Kezerashvili further noted.
Kezerashvili alleged and criticized the Georgian government for promoting misinformation targeting him, claiming it was a deliberate attempt to deceive both the Georgian people and international allies. He mentioned that courts in France and the UK had reached similar conclusions, labeling the campaign as political persecution.
“I want to thank my legal team, which fought tirelessly to prove my truth,” he concluded.