Justice

British businessman and former Ambassador interrogated on the case of Iberia TV

Tbilisi City Court resumed the hearing on the case of forceful seizure of the broadcasting license of Iberia TV Company today. The examination of evidence by the prosecution was concluded with the interrogation of three witnesses – former British ambassador to Georgia, Donald MacLaren and the representatives of British Company, Davit Heath International, David Heath and Mrs. Gillian Heath.

David Heath was the business partner of Omega Group in 2004, when the companies united in Omega Group were raided by the riot police and as a result of this pressure, the broadcasting license of Iberia TV Company, also united in Omega Group, was forcefully seized. David Heath told the court in his testimony today that he had made investments in Omega 2 and OGT ltd and at the same time, provided consulting services to the holding then.
According to David Heath, he reported British Foreign Ministry and the Ambassador Donald MacLaren about the developments around Omega Group, because he saw the illegal pressure on the company, where he had his own business interests.

“It was important for us end up with the occupation of Omega premises by the gunmen and resume operation in order not to lose the invested funds”, - Mr. Heath said.

He also recollected the meeting held in London’s Hotel Berkeley in summer 2004 with Giga Bedineishvili, who was the adviser of Mikheil Saakashvili, Georgia’s former president then. He said he was told by Bedineishvili that Omega Group’s companies would be allowed to resume operation only after 51% of Omega Companies would be transferred for free to a person nominated by the authorities. According to the businessman, his wife, Gillian Heath was also present at the meeting. Mrs. Heath gave testimony to the court today and she confirmed the fact of the meeting with former president’s adviser.
According to the testimonies by David and Gillian Heaths, they refused to give up their shares in Omega Group and delivered this message to Giga Bedineishvili.

David Heath told he learnt later that Omega enterprises resumed to operate only after the Omega Group gave up the broadcasting license of Iberia TV Company.

Former British Ambassador, Donald MacLaren told the court in his testimony today that he was entitled to respond to the developments around Omega Group, because British citizens, David Heath was the partner of the company. Thus he held meetings and discussions in summer and autumn 2004, with late prime minister Zurab Zhvania, ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili and former prosecutor general, Zurab Adeishvili regarding the developments around Omega Group. According to the British Diplomat, he confirmed the concerns of the British authorities regarding the pressure on Omega Group and in response, he was promised by Georgian authorities that relevant measures would be applied if unlawful actions were confirmed against Omega Group.
He also said that by the end of 2004, he learnt that the Omega Group’s companies resumed to operate after the broadcasting license of Iberia TV was given up by its owners.

The hearings on the case of Iberia TV broadcasting license seizure will be resumed at the Tbilisi City Court at 4PM on the 17th of May.

Please note that the case of Iberia TV closure and the seizure of its broadcasting license was investigated by the Main Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia in February, 2016. Former general prosecutor and his first deputy, Zurab Adeishvili and Giorgi Latsabidze were charged with the crime.