TV Executive Jailed for 4 Years

Tbilisi City Court found Shalva Ramishvili, co-founder of the Tbilisi-based 202 TV, guilty of blackmail and sentenced him to 4 years of imprisonment on March 29. Director of the 202 TV Davit Kokhreidze, who faced similar charges, was sentenced to 3 years of imprisonment.

Both Ramishvili and Kokhreidze pled not guilty and described the judge’s verdict as “an order by the authorities.”

“We have won,” Shalva Ramishvili said after the ruling was announced. Defense lawyers claim that the trial failed to prove the guilt of Ramishvili and Kokhreidze, but the judge had “to obey orders” from the authorities.

Lawyers say they will appeal the verdict.

Shalva Ramishvili and Davit Kokhreidze were arrested on August 27 and charged with extortion of USD 100,000 from Koba Bekauri, a parliamentarian from the ruling National Movement party, who was forced to quit the parliament in February, 2006.