Georgian FM: UK sanctions on Georgian media continuation of unjust treatment of Georgia

Georgian foreign minister Maka Botchorishvili on Tuesday criticised the United Kingdom's sanctions on the Georgian television companies Imedi TV and POSTV, describing the move as another example of what she called unfair and groundless treatment toward Georgia in recent years.

In her remarks, Botchorishvili framed the decision as part of a persistent pattern of unjust treatment toward Georgia.

“The sanctioning of Imedi and POSTV is a continuation of the unfounded and unjust attitude we have seen toward Georgia over the past years, especially during the last four years”, she said.

The minister emphasised that Georgia fully complies with its international obligations, including measures aimed at preventing the circumvention of sanctions.

“There was discussion about sanctioning a Georgian port, which was ultimately avoided for one simple reason - there is absolutely no basis for sanctioning Georgian organisations. Georgia fully complies with all the obligations it has undertaken regarding the prevention of sanctions circumvention. Therefore, the attempts we are seeing are groundless”, she noted.

Regarding the sanctions against Imedi TV and POSTV, she argued that the move contradicts principles of free speech.

“As for sanctioning television channels, it is unimaginable that, on the one hand, you claim to be an advocate of free speech, and on the other hand, you target television stations - and justify it by saying that these stations are popular. They have viewers and followers. This is unimaginable - yet another completely unfounded attack against Georgia”, Botchorishvili concluded.

The UK government has imposed sanctions against the Georgian television channels Imedi and POSTV. The relevant information was published on the official website of the British government.

Regarding Imedi, one of the reasons cited for the sanctions is the allegation that the television station intentionally disseminated information concerning Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine that misled the public and contributed to the destabilization of Ukraine.

Imedi is also accused of regularly broadcasting content alleging that the Ukrainian government and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are illegitimate, that Ukraine is a puppet in the hands of the West and a corrupt nation, and that both Ukraine and the West are attempting to destabilize the situation in Georgia.