On November 18, the European People’s Party (EPP) adopted a resolution demanding an end to the Georgian government’s ongoing political persecution of free media and political opponents.
“Whereas the continued political imprisonment and the denial of an adequate medical treatment to ex-President, Ukrainian citizen and acting official Mikheil Saakashvili being held in Georgian prison as Putin’s personal captive, the recent decision of the Appeals’ Court to uphold the political charges against Mtavari TV Managing Director Nika Gvaramia, only exacerbates Georgia’s democratic regression and the Russian influence in the country resulted by Bidzina Ivanishvili’s oligarchic rule and the subsequent state capture in Georgia,” highlighted the resolution.
The resolution from November 18 titled “On Democratic Backsliding and Political Persecutions in Georgia” referred to an earlier resolution passed by the EPP that denounced Nika Gvaramia’s conviction as well as the rising number of incidents of intimidation, violence, and threats against and persecution of journalists.
“Having regard to the 9 June 2022 European Parliament resolution on Violations of Media Freedom and the Safety of Journalists in Georgia and the Resolution 2463 of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on Further Escalation in the Russian Federation’s Aggression Against Ukraine (Article 7),” the resolution recalled.
The EPP Calls on the Georgian government to “end the political persecution against its political opponents and free media – ensure an immediate release and humanitarian transfer of ex-President Saakashvili to another country for an adequate medical treatment and release the Mtavari TV Managing Director Nika Gvaramia from prison.”
By Sophie Hodler
