TBILISI, Georgia, February 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Media freedom in Georgia suffered another blow today when it was announced that Imedi, formerly the country's only independent TV station, is to be sold to RAK Georgia Holdings, an affiliate of the United Arab Emirates' owned property development company, Rakeen.
Imedi TV was the subject of a long running dispute between the Georgian government and the late businessman, Badri Patarkatsishvili, until his death in February last year. In November 2007, Imedi was forcibly shut down and has since been expropriated on behalf of the Georgian government. Patarkatsishvili's family commenced an international arbitration against the State of Georgia and named Josef Kay, a former Patarkatsishvili associate, as co-conspirator with the government in arranging the expropriation.
A spokesperson for Patarkatsishvili's family today said, "This Rakeen deal shows President Saakashvili is prepared to put Georgia's media freedom up for sale. Imedi was once the most important outlet for free speech in Georgia. Saakashvili and his government took Imedi and now plan to transfer it to a subsidiary of an Arab emirate with no experience in free broadcasting. This is how much the Georgian government cares for personal property and free speech."
Rakeen has only been in existence since 2007, when it was set up as a property development company by the Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, in the UAE. As Rakeen's own website shows, the company has no experience of running a media organization. Rakeen now appears to have been rewarded by the President of Georgia for its billion dollar investments in the country with a the Imedi TV company.
Actual ownership of RAK Georgia Holding is not clear. Patarkatsishvili's family asks the questions on many Georgian's minds: "We want to know and the Georgian people need to know exactly who is behind this company? Who are the so-called 'Georgian partners' in RAK Georgia Holdings? Do they include any Georgian government ministers?"
The timing of the Rakeen sale is illuminating. Last week, the Georgian court awarded Josef Kay authority to execute the contested will of the late Badri Patarkatsishvili, despite compelling evidence that Kay's case was based on forged documents and fraud. The judgment was widely viewed in Georgia as further evidence of political influence over the judicial system. Now, just five days after this decision, Kay has announced the sale of Imedi to the UAE based property development firm.
The family's spokesperson said. We intend to pursue all available legal recourse to halt this sale and return Imedi to its rightful owners."
"We will continue our fight to restore Imedi to its rightful owners and as an independent media voice for Georgia."
