The UK has sanctioned prominent Georgian pro-government media outlets Imedi and POSTV for ‘involvement in Russian disinformation’. Imedi was until recently owned by a UK-based Georgian national, before being sold to a local group for a symbolic fee weeks prior to the sanctions.
The UK sanctioned the two media outlets on Tuesday, the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Both were listed as ‘entities involved in Russian disinformation’ and appear to be the only media outlets included in the latest package, which named hundreds of new entities and individuals.
The UK imposed the same three set of sanctions on both entities — ‘asset freeze, trust services sanctions, director disqualification sanction’ — meaning that all assets or properties held by the companies in the UK will be frozen, it will become illegal for UK citizens to help create or manage trusts for the companies, and the individuals running the companies will be barred from running any other UK-based company.
In its sanctions notice, the UK accused Imedi and POSTV of having ‘spread deliberately misleading information concerning Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine to its audiences, which are predominantly located in Georgia’. It additionally noted that Imedi regularly disseminates content portraying the Ukrainian government as ‘illegitimate’, that Ukraine is a ‘pupper’ of the West, and that Ukraine and the West were ‘seeking to destabilise’ Georgia.
Imedi was until recently owned by businessperson Irakli Rukhadze, a US citizen based in the UK. Rukhadze, alongside Benjamin Albert Marson and Igor Alekseev, came to own Imedi through Hunnewell Partners in 2018, completing their purchase of the channel in 2021.
Mere weeks before the sanctions, on 6 February, Rukhadze announced through Imedi’s social media pages that Imedi was being sold to Prime Media Global for ₾1,000 ($370). The sale is currently noted prominently in bolded text in the ‘Our Firm’ section of Hunwell Partners’ website.
Prime Media Global is now the co-owner of Imedi, with Maka Lomidze, the outlet’s general director, and her four deputies receiving the other 50% of its shares. Prime Media Global appears to be based in Georgia, and is reportedly fully owned by businessperson Ilia Mikelaishvili. According to Rukhadze, Prime Media Global had previously collaborated with Imedi in advertising.
Yousef Bardouka
Hours after the announcement, Imedi published a statement condemning the sanctions, accusing the British government of supporting the formerly ruling United National Movement’s (UNM) raid of its offices in 2007.
‘Against this background, British sanctions have no value’, the channel wrote. ‘The only valuable assessment for Imedi TV is the trust of the Georgian people’.
OC Media has reached out to Imedi for comment and to the UK Foreign Office over its previous owner having possibly received advance warning of the sanctions.
POSTV’s founder and far-right propagandist Shalva Ramishvili immediately criticised the sanctions on social media.
‘How the West has fallen: Britain is sanctioning us just because we’re not saying that Ukraine is beating Russia’, he wrote. ‘So they sanctioned Russian politicians, generals, military production, the largest banks and […] Imedi and POSTV.’
‘They probably did it to cover up the paedophilia of King Charles’s brother’, he added, alluding to the recent arrest of the former Prince Andrew in relation to the Epstein files.
The Georgian government has yet to issue any statements regarding the sanctions.
It is not yet clear how the sanctions might affect the two broadcasters. However, two of the country’s largest banks, TBC and Bank of Georgia, are listed on the London Stock Exchange.
OC Media has reached out to the National Bank of Georgia, Bank of Georgia, and TBC for comment.
Mikheil Gvadzabia
