Ramishvili Maintains Innocence in Pre-Trial Hearing
Shalva Ramishvili, a co-founder of Tbilisi-based private television station 202 and anchor of the popular political talk-show ?Debates,? who was arrested on extortion charges on August 27, said at trial on August 29 that he “never blackmailed MP Koba Bekauri.”
?Firstly, I have never blackmailed or extorted money from Koba Bekauri. On the contrary, for past three months Bekauri put pressure on me and my friends through blackmail and threats, saying that this film [which included compromising materials against Bekauri] should not be broadcasted. There are many persons who know about it and have witnessed this fact. This will be proved by an impartial investigation,? Shalva Ramishvili said.
?Secondly, why I agreed to take money: when Bekauri?s actions went beyond the limit, I, in agreement with Komakhidze [a journalist from the organization Reporter], decided to shoot footage by hidden camera showing how much Koba Bekauri would pay to prevent the airing of a compromising story,? Shalva Ramishvili said.
?Afterwards my and Bekauri?s common friend contacted us, who offered me to take the sum in exchange for blocking the film. I make no doubt about the honesty of this person, who is very important for my future fate. This is the owner of the apartment where the money was taken,? Ramishvili said, though he did not specify the name of the person.
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