UK sanctions two Georgian TV channels over alleged spread of Russian disinformation
UK sanctions on Georgian TV channels
On 24 February, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on Georgian television companies TV Imedi and POSTV under its Russia sanctions regime.
The measures include asset freezes, restrictions on trust services and director disqualification orders.
What this means:
- Any bank accounts, property or other assets held by the broadcasters within UK jurisdiction will be frozen. Banks connected to the United Kingdom — including branches operating abroad — are required to cease providing services to the companies.
- The ban on trust services prohibits asset management through trustees or foundations, effectively preventing concealed ownership through UK jurisdictions. Company owners will be unable to transfer shares into trusts in order to avoid confiscation or asset freezes.
- Director disqualification orders impose an official ban on specific individuals holding senior management positions. The measures prohibit not only UK nationals from managing the sanctioned companies but also prevent sanctioned directors themselves from holding comparable roles in any businesses connected to UK law. Violating the restriction constitutes a criminal offence.
According to an official statement by the British government, the broadcasters regularly promoted narratives claiming that:
- the Ukrainian authorities and president are illegitimate;
- Ukraine is a “puppet of the West”;
- Ukraine is a corrupt state;
- Ukraine and Western countries are attempting to destabilise Georgia.
The UK government said the dissemination of such content constitutes activity supporting or facilitating policies that “undermine the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine”.
“There are reasonable grounds to suspect that TV Imedi and POSTV deliberately spread misleading information about Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, contributing to Ukraine’s destabilisation and threatening its sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the UK Foreign Office said.
British sanctions are not merely a symbolic political message. They establish a strict legal framework aimed at the practical isolation of a targeted individual or company from the UK’s financial and business ecosystem, including offshore jurisdictions operating under London’s authority. Each element of the sanctions package functions as a separate measure, and together they amount to a comprehensive blockade.
Asset freeze
This is the most widely used instrument. Once a person or organisation is placed on the sanctions list, all funds and economic resources — including bank accounts, property and shares — located within the United Kingdom or under British jurisdiction are automatically frozen.
In practice, this has two main consequences. First, the sanctioned party loses access to its own assets. Second, UK companies and citizens — including those operating abroad — are prohibited from entering into any financial or commercial dealings with them.
Banks are no longer permitted to provide services, lawyers cannot facilitate transactions, and companies are barred from signing contracts. The measure functions not only as a financial restriction but also as a reputational signal, as any relationship with a sanctioned entity carries significant legal and commercial risks.
Director disqualification
This measure is aimed at limiting influence. A sanctioned individual is prohibited from serving as a director of a company registered in the United Kingdom or from participating in its management, establishment or promotion.
If the person already holds such a position, their authority must be terminated. Formally, it is a legal ban; in practice, it removes access to corporate control mechanisms and inflicts reputational damage. Within London’s financial environment, director disqualification often results in exclusion from broader international business networks.
Ban on trust services
UK-based companies — including lawyers, accountants and financial institutions — are prohibited from creating or administering trusts for a sanctioned individual.
A trust is a legal arrangement in which one party manages assets on behalf of another. In international financial practice, it is frequently used for asset structuring and tax planning. Under sanctions, however, a ban on trust services cuts off one of the main mechanisms available to sanctioned individuals — the ability to manage assets indirectly through third parties or to circumvent restrictions.
Offshore reach
The scale of British sanctions is particularly significant because of their geographic scope. The measures apply not only within the United Kingdom itself but also across its overseas territories — jurisdictions widely known as some of the world’s most prominent offshore financial centres.
These include:
- the British Virgin Islands;
- the Cayman Islands;
- Bermuda.
The sanctions also extend to Gibraltar, one of Europe’s key financial hubs.
Thousands of companies and trust structures serving global capital are registered in these jurisdictions. As a result, when London imposes sanctions, their impact extends far beyond the geographic borders of the British Isles.
Ultimately, British sanctions are not simply a political gesture. They are a carefully designed legal instrument that simultaneously freezes assets, limits business influence and shuts down offshore channels, creating systemic isolation for those targeted by the measures.
UK sanctions on Georgian TV channels
