Bera Ivanishvili, the son of Georgian Dream founder Bidzina Ivanishvili, has filed a defamation lawsuit against the television companies TV Pirveli and Formula in the Tbilisi City Court. According to the Georgian Public Broadcaster, the announcement was made by his attorney, Davit Asatiani.
“Bera Ivanishvili’s lawsuit has been submitted to the Tbilisi City Court regarding instances of defamation. <…> It concerns the dissemination of information based on falsehoods that have nothing to do with reality. The plaintiff demands a formal retraction of this information and that it be declared defamatory.
The broader story is quite extensive, but in this specific instance, we are dealing with a series of claims circulated without any verification, journalistic integrity, or adherence to similar standards. This involves direct accusations of a crime and a hypothetical link to underworld feuds. We will provide the public with the details of the lawsuit at a later date.”
According to the lawyer, defamatory information has recently been spread against Bera Ivanishvili in a coordinated and synchronized manner by various television channels, politicians, and public figures. “There is no justification for this, as every individual possesses honor, dignity, and a reputation,” he stated.
“As is well known, the plaintiff is a musician, producer, and composer; he has no involvement in politics, yet, unfortunately, defamatory statements continue to be directed at him to this day. It is the plaintiff’s legal right to challenge this within the judicial framework. Those who willfully or unintentionally disseminated defamatory claims must be held accountable through civil proceedings,” Asatiani added.
Bera Ivanishvili announced his decision to take legal action on September 30. At the time, the younger Ivanishvili wrote that allegations claiming “he oversees call centers” are false, and statements that “people are arrested on his orders or that he participates in illegal deals” constitute defamation.
“I intend to demand a legal response to every foul, defamatory accusation leveled against me.”
According to him, specific media outlets and individuals have been reporting on his alleged criminal activity as established fact, without providing any supporting evidence.
Bera Ivanishvili stated that the purpose of going to court is “not revenge, but the protection of my own dignity and rights.”
“I want the defamatory attacks directed against me to receive a legal evaluation, and if the court establishes that defamation took place, those behind it must answer before the law,” Bera Ivanishvili wrote.
