US Ambassador on Nika Gvaramia: Important for public to remove any question of selective prosecution

21:33, 23.12.2022

US Ambassador Kelly Degnan on Friday said “from the very beginning, there have been obviously questions about both the timing and the charges in Mr. Gvaramia’s [imprisoned Mtavari Arkhi TV chief] case.”

“I think particularly when it involves the head of a major independent media outlet, it’s very important that the public understand and see that this is being handled in an impartial and transparent way,” she noted.

The Ambassador went on to say that “this has been our comment since the beginning, including when the sentence was passed. It seemed like a disproportionately severe sentence for even the charges brought against him.”

“So, I think those questions continue and remain, and in this highly polarized climate where the media space is being narrowed, it is really important for the public to remove any question of selective prosecution, political interference, and prosecution, and be sure that journalists are not afraid to do their jobs. It’s just too important to have a robust media environment, including in Georgia,” she added.

By - Marika Kartozia

Politics

Ambassador Kelly Degnan

Nika Gvaramia