The spokesperson of the External Action Service of the European Commission issued a statement regarding the Tbilisi Court of Appeal verdict on Nika Gvaramia, noting that the European Union is closely monitoring this case.
Gvaramia, the Director General of a Georgian TV channel, will have his sentence upheld including, 3 years and 6 months imprisonment under Article 220 of the Criminal Code.
“The European Union does not comment on the merits of individual court cases, but we note once again that questions have been raised, including by the Public Defender, in relation to this case.
“In this respect, we recall that ‘stronger efforts to guarantee a free, professional, pluralistic and independent media environment, notably by ensuring that criminal procedures brought against media owners fulfill the highest legal standards’ represents one of the priorities identified by the European Commission.
“The EU will continue to support Georgian authorities in reforming the judiciary with a focus on the independence, transparency, and quality of judicial procedures indispensable for upholding the rule of law.
“The European Union remains committed to supporting Georgia in addressing all 12 priorities in order to live up to the European aspirations of its citizens,” reads the statement.
