Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
TBILISI, Georgia (AP) — Thousands of Georgians have rallied in the capital in support of the country's opposition-minded television station that they suspect is about to be transferred to a more government-friendly owner.
Rustavi-2 is Georgia's most popular TV station and the Sunday demonstration on Tbilisi's main avenue attracted people from a wide political spectrum.
Some carried signs calling for the imprisonment of Bidzina Ivanishvili, the billionaire founder of the ruling Georgian Dream coalition.
Rustavi-2 has changed hands in murky deals several times.
The current controversy stems from a case filed by a former owner, Kibar Khalvashi, who is seeking to regain control.
The Supreme Court is expected to rule on the case soon. Station supporters claim the court is under government pressure to transfer it from the current owners.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.