Imedi board steps down following UK sanctions decision

A day after the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on Georgian television companies Imedi and POSTV, major changes unfolded within the ownership and management structure of Imedi.

On February 25 — the second day after the UK sanctions decision — businessman Irakli Rukhadze and several members of Imedi’s supervisory board applied to the Public Registry to resign from their positions.

Based on the official website of Georgia’s Public Registry, applications to leave the supervisory board were submitted by Irakli Rukhadze (Chairman of the Supervisory Board), Giorgi Bakhtadze, Giorgi Kalandarishvili (Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board), and Davit Shonia. Only Maka Lomidze remains on the board, who simultaneously serves as Director General of Imedi TV.

In their submissions to the Public Registry, the applicants requested that their resignations be processed under an expedited procedure on the same day and paid 414 GEL each for the accelerated review. The Registry has yet to satisfy their request.

In their written statements, the board members cite a change in ownership of Imedi as the reason for their departure, noting that they had informed the channel’s director of their decision in writing on February 6. However, the formal applications to the Public Registry were filed on February 25 — one day after the United Kingdom sanctioned the broadcaster.

Irakli Rukhadze had publicly announced on February 6 that he was exiting ownership of the pro-government media outlet, which he had controlled for years.

Based on 2025 data, Imedi reportedly had approximately 17 million GEL in debt to the state at the time of the transaction and was sold for 1,000 GEL.

The new owners of Imedi are Prime Media Global, current Director General Maka Lomidze, and her deputies. LLC Prime Media Global is fully owned by Ilia Mikelashvili. Rukhadze transferred the intermediary company — Georgian Media Production Group LLC — through which he had held 100% ownership of Imedi.

Ilia Mikelashvili previously sought membership in the Georgian National Communications Commission in 2025 but was not elected. He served as Head of Operations Planning at GWP from September 2019 through 2021 and, from November 2015 to 2021, headed the Infrastructure Projects Management and Design Division at the Saburtalo District Administration of Tbilisi City Hall. Mikelashvili’s name also appeared in connection with an incident during a protest held on September 5, 2025, outside the campaign headquarters of Tbilisi mayoral candidate Kakha Kaladze.

While the ownership transfer of Imedi was formally presented as a standard media business transaction, reports indicate that the agreement includes provisions predetermining editorial policy and prohibiting criticism of former owner Irakli Rukhadze, as well as individuals and companies affiliated with him.

Eighteen days after the ownership change, on February 24, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on Imedi and POSTV under its Russia-related sanctions regulations.

The UK government’s measures include asset freezes, a prohibition on trust services, and director disqualification sanctions.

London justified the sanctions by stating that Imedi and POSTV deliberately disseminated misleading information about Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine to their primarily Georgia-based audiences. The UK says this amounts to supporting or facilitating policies or actions that destabilize Ukraine or undermine its territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence.

Specifically, the UK claims the channels have regularly promoted narratives suggesting that Ukraine’s government and President Volodymyr Zelensky are illegitimate, that Ukraine is a “puppet” of the West, that the country is deeply corrupt, and that Ukraine and Western states are attempting to destabilize Georgia.

The developments raise new political and legal questions surrounding media ownership, editorial independence, and the broader diplomatic tensions between Tbilisi and London following the sanctions decision.