“British sanctions hold no value” - Imedi TV responds to sanctions imposed by United Kingdom

As it has become known, the UK government has decided to impose sanctions on the TV company Imedi.

“For more than 22 years, Imedi TV has served Georgia and the freedom of speech in our country. Imedi TV did not back down even when a criminal regime ruled Georgia, exposing all its vices - an effort that ultimately resulted in the storming and seizure of the TV station.

We would like to remind everyone that at the time of the seizure of Imedi TV, the UK government did not express even general concern. Moreover, even after 2007, the British government continued to voice support for the criminal regime that was trampling on democracy, human rights, and freedom of speech in Georgia.

On this backdrop, British sanctions hold no value. For Imedi TV, the only valuable assessment is the trust of the Georgian people. It is thanks to this trust that for many years, we have firmly maintained our status as the highest-rated television station in Georgia. Accordingly, we will continue to act with high responsibility toward Georgian society in the future. Imedi TV will continue to serve Georgia and the freedom of speech even more energetically to fully justify the trust placed in us by the Georgian public”, the statement of Imedi TV said.

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.