Prepared by Messenger Staff
Four Imedi TV Board Members Resign After UK Sanctions Over 'Russian Disinformation'
Four out of five members of the supervisory board of broadcaster Imedi TV resigned on February 25, one day after the United Kingdom announced sanctions against the channel over "Russian disinformation."
Those who stepped down included former owner Irakli Rukhadze, along with Giorgi Bakhtadze, Giorgi Kalandarishvili, and Davit Shonia. The four requested expedited approval of their resignations on February 25, citing an earlier change in ownership. Georgia's public registry approved the requests later the same day.
The resignations left Mariam Lomidze, as the only remaining member of the supervisory board. She also serves as the channel's director.
Lomidze became a shareholder earlier in February, when Rukhadze said he had sold his shares to be split evenly between Imedi's partner company Prime Media Global and the channel's management. It later emerged that the shares were sold for a symbolic price of 1,000 Georgian lari, or about 370 US dollars.
The United Kingdom announced sanctions on February 24 against Imedi TV and POSTVfor spreading "deliberately misleading information" about Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine that "destabilizes" Ukraine or "undermines or threatens" the country's territorial integrity, sovereignty, or independence.
The sanctions include an asset freeze, trust services sanctions, and director disqualification sanctions.
Israeli Ambassador Criticizes Lighting of Mtatsminda Tower in Iranian Flag Colors
Israel's Ambassador to Georgia, Walid Abu Hayam, said the lighting of Mtatsminda Tower in the colors of the Iranian flag was an incorrect gesture, especially given recent events in Iran.
"I do not know and it is not of interest to me who made the decision and why. In my eyes, it was an incorrect gesture, especially this year, after what we have seen in Iran," Abu Hayam said..
He said the move should be seen as a gesture toward Iran's ruling system rather than its people.
"My protest concerned the action itself. It was the marking of the 47th anniversary of this terrorist regime that sits in Iran and fights us everywhere," he said.
Abu Hayam stressed that he was not interfering in Georgia's foreign policy.
"I know that Georgia and Iran have diplomatic relations. I do not interfere in Georgia's bilateral relations," he said, adding that as Israel's ambassador he felt compelled to express protest.
On February 11, Tbilisi's tower was illuminated in the colors of the flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran to mark the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
