Saakashvili offered railway control in exchange for Imedi TV, former executive tells trial over 2007 Imedi crackdown

“I do not know what was happening in 2006 when the Girgvliani incident occurred, but that was the event that caused our relationship with the government to deteriorate. Later, the situation settled down around the railway issue. Saakashvili was offering Patarkatsishvili Georgian Railways in exchange for the television station,” stated former Imedi TV General Director Irakli Rukhadze at Tbilisi City Court, where he was questioned as a witness regarding the 7 November 2007 crackdowns.

Regarding the raid on Imedi TV itself, Rukhadze said that forces effectively stormed the premises, smashing equipment and ransacking the station. They destroyed all the equipment.

“When we returned, we found equipment brought in from Rustavi 2 and GPB First Channel, still bearing the stickers of those respective television channels. They brought this equipment in to show ambassadors, as if to say, “Look, the equipment is right here, we haven’t destroyed anything.” Badri Patarkatsishvili was in England, and I was in contact with him via satellite phone. I called him in the evening, and he told me he had sent something to [Giorgi] Targamadze that needed to be broadcast, but Targamadze was refusing to air it. He asked me to go to Targamadze and tell him to broadcast it. I went to Targamadze, who told me, “I am not airing the recording because broadcasting it is too risky.” He told me to come back in the evening so we could decide together. During the day, Rustavi 2 broadcast this recording, albeit an altered version. Badri also told me that it was an altered recording, saying he would not leave it like this and would fight. In truth, what happened effectively killed Badri Patarkatsishvili. I saw Badri before he died. He was in a deep depression, walking in the woods, not speaking to his family. He was significantly changed,” Rukhadze stated in court.

In response, Saakashvili interjected: “It is a lie that the recording was altered.”

“Stop speaking lies. After Patarkatsishvili was exposed for attempting a coup d’état, his own journalists believed it and closed down the television channel themselves. What grievance do you have against Saakashvili? Badri Patarkatsishvili closed the television station himself after his journalists refused to obey him—full stop… My captivity is temporary. I will enter Georgian history as its builder; you will enter as jackals and hyenas,” Saakashvili said, addressing Rukhadze.