The Tbilisi City Court has fined TV company Formula GEL 10,000 after upholding a civil lawsuit filed by film director Giorgi (Goga) Khaindrava, a supporter of the ruling Georgian Dream party.
Judge Liana Kazhashvili reviewed the case and fully granted Khaindrava’s claim, ordering Formula to pay compensation for “moral damage” and to deny information that the court ruled harmed the plaintiff’s name, honor and dignity on its television broadcast.
Khaindrava challenged reports aired by Formula’s program on December 20, 2025 and January 17, 2026.
The dispute concerns a report aired on January 17, in which Formula, citing a source, reported that Khaindrava had allegedly brought citizens of India and Pakistan to Georgia in 2016-2017 in exchange for payment, with the involvement of the State Security Service.
Khaindrava argued that the report contained “false and intentionally misleading information” that damaged his reputation.
Separately, based on a complaint from Khaindrava’s lawyers, the Georgian Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation into Formula over allegations of “false denunciation” related to the same report.
The investigation was opened under Article 373(1) of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which concerns false denunciation.
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