Georgian Ex-Leader Encourages Armed Conflict Over TV Station - Leak

Georgian ex-leader and Odessa governor Mikheil Saakashvili has called on the head of an embattled Georgian television station to find fighters and construct barricades to stop an ownership dispute with a "revolutionary scenario," leaks show.

Georgia's Rustavi2 television channel has been going through a politically charged ownership dispute with one of its former co-owners. Saakashvili, who came to power after the ousting of his predecessor in a "color revolution" fled Georgia in 2013 after losing elections and facing abuse of power charges. In the recordings leaked to a Ukrainian website, Saakashvili encouraged station owner Nika Gvaramia to settle the dispute with an armed conflict.

"Go through with a revolutionary scenario. You must show resistance to the government during a possible station takeover. Build barricades. Literally barricade yourself in and calmly stand for several weeks," Saakashvili said.

Saakashvili then told Gvaramia the specific size of the barricades needed, around the size of a "prison fence."  Saakashvili previously made similar suggestions to his supporters in the United National Movement (UNM) party, when they protested the country's government following a currency devaluation.

Revolutionary Scenario

"You must show physical resistance to make it difficult to enter. You should put up large barricades; you should start preparing this right now, bring metal [barriers] and turn it into a fortress," Saakashvili added.

Gvaramia told Saakashvili that the station faces financial problems and asked for support. Saakashvili then refused to support the station, saying that no financing is needed as it is "ordinary war," and that the stand-off should only last about a week. The television station is going through a court battle with former co-owner Kibar Khalvashi, who says that he handed over his share in the television channel to the government following a conflict with Saakashvili.

"Get fighters who will defend you. So that they can only enter the building after shooting," Saakashvili said.

Saakashvili confirmed the authenticity of the recording in a Facebook message, while Gvaramia said that Saakashvili is a personal friend, who called on using the methods, but that the two have their disagreements.. In his message, Saakashvili charged that the ownership conflict is an attempt by the government to destroy independent media in Georgia, and not about the return of its ownership to one of his political opponents in the country.

"The protection of the last fortress of the freedom of speech is equal to the fight for Georgia. No one should be surprised that I call on everyone for this battle, who has the power and opportunity to do it," Saakashvili wrote in a statement translated by Rustavi2.

Georgia's State Security Service said that it has sent an inquiry to Ukraine to receive information on the calls, and will verify their authenticity. Like Saakashvili, the television station's current owners insist that the ownership dispute is an attempt to close the station before the 2016 elections by President Giorgi Margelashvili's Georgian Dream party.