Gvaramia’s pardon fully complies with constitutional requirements

According to the Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI), the pardon of Mtavari Arkhi CEO Nika Gvaramia fully meets constitutional requirements. According to the organization’s statement, the arrest of Gvaramia is a significant obstacle to Georgia’s European integration.

“One of the constitutional goals of the Pardon Institute is to protect the state interests. The arrest of the director general of one of the main critical media is not the only, but a significant obstacle to Georgia’s European integration. Article 78 of the Georgian Constitution requires the president to “take all measures to ensure the full integration of Georgia into the European Union,” the information says.

Recall, on October 2, the Tbilisi Court of Appeal found Nika Gvaramia, founder and CEO of the Georgian opposition TV channel Mtavari Arkhi, guilty, upholding a sentence of three years and six months in prison.

The Court of Appeal also upheld the decision regarding two other defendants in the case – Kakhaber Damenia and Zurab Iashvili. Damenia was previously fined 50,000 lari, while Iashvili was found not guilty.

It should be noted that the decision of the Tbilisi City Court was appealed by both the prosecution and the defense. The prosecutor’s office demanded a guilty verdict for all three defendants, while the lawyers demanded an acquittal.