Investigative Reporter Loses 1 ml Libel Lawsuit

(Tbilisi, August 11, 2003, Civil Georgia) – Georgian Railway company chief, Akaki Chkhaidze, who is also one of the leaders of the Presidential-backed election alliance, won a 1 million Lari (USD 460000) libel lawsuit today against the investigative TV programme 60 Minutes, broadcasted by the Tbilisi-based independent Rustavi 2 TV channel.

In one of its broadcasts last October, 60 Minutes claimed that Akaki Chkheidze was involved in corruption and financial machin!
ations.

The author of 60 Minutes, Akaki Gogichaishvili, protested against the Tbilisi District Court’s ruling and told reporters, “it was not a trial, it was a stage show. The court’s decision was expected as the government needs additional funding on the eve of the Parliamentary elections.”

“This was absolutely illegal ruling. The court’s ruling is alarming,” Giga Bokeria, of the human rights advocacy NGO Liberty Institute, told reporters after the trial.

Both the Rustavi 2 broadcasting company and 60 Minutes intend to appeal to the Supreme Court for a reconsideration of the case.
In April 2003, 60 Minutes lost a libel lawsuit case against former Culture Minister, Valeri Asatiani, and had to pay 53 thousand Lari (USD 24.4 thousand) to Asatiani for moral damage.

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