Controversial Journalist on Trial

Shalva Ramishvili at his pre-trial hearing in a Tbilisi City Court on August 29.

Co-founder of Tbilisi-based 202 television station Shalva Ramishvili goes on trial on January 13 over suspected extortion charges.

Shalva Ramishvili was arrested on August 27 and charged with extortion of USD 100,000 from Koba Bekauri, a parliamentarian from the ruling National Movement party. Director of the 202 TV Davit Kokhreidze was also arrested together with Ramishvili and faces the same charges.

Ramishvili and Kokhreidze have both pleaded not guilty. 

At the trial on January 13 court turned down a petition of defense lawyers’ of Ramishvili and Kokhreidze release the two men, as they claimed suspects are illegally detained.

The case concerns the activities of two parties – Shalva Ramishvili and MP Koba Bekauri. The latter claims that Ramishvili was blackmailing him, demanding that he pay USD 100,000 in exchange for not airing compromising footage which allegedly dealt with Bekauri illegally acquiring shares in the Opiza customs terminal.

The process Bekauri handing money over to Ramishvili was shot by a hidden police camera attached to the MP.

After a demand by opposition parliamentarians, the Parliament set up an investigative commission which is probing into Bekauri’s alleged wrongdoings related with the Opiza terminal. 

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