“My fate is decided not only in Georgian courts”

The founder of the Mtavari Arkhi TV channel, Nika Gvaramia, hopes that she will be released from prison. He noted that if the highest courts do not acquit him, he will appeal to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

“Hopefully I will. My fate is decided not only in the Georgian courts, there is the ECHR ahead,” he said during a speech in the courtroom.

At today’s trial, the prosecution and the defense delivered their closing speeches. In his speech, Gvaramia also spoke about the events in Georgia:

“If you are interested in my opinion, the future is already at the door. Let’s go to the door and open it. Just a few steps, even in the literal sense. Don’t lower your shield and sword. In no case. We call on the public to have their say. Society consists not only of political parties and non-governmental organizations. Our civilian sector is probably one of the best I have seen.”

Gvaramia also commented on the criticism towards opposition parties:

“The stigmatization of our political power as having no power is unfair. It’s not like that, friends. I have to give an example of Ukraine, which doesn’t even need stigmatization, it was so dying, mired in corruption, whether it was the government or the opposition… It’s easy to say that someone doesn’t do something… Let’s not look for a scapegoat. This is an excuse for our inaction. We need to act. We are to blame for our failure. As soon as we want it to stop, at the same moment it will stop.”

Gvaramia also made a brief statement about Saakashvili, saying that not only his family needs the ex-president alive, and therefore he must take care of his health.

Judges Merab Jorbenadze, Lavrenti Maglakelidze and David Mamiseishvili are considering Gvaramia’s complaint.