10 September 2008, 22:04
France refuses to deport Irakliy Okruashvili to Georgia
The Appeal Court of France has rejected the Georgia's petition to extradite former Defence Minister of the country Irakliy Okruashvili.
The "Caucasian Knot" has already reported that this April France gave political shelter to Okruashvili. On March 28, Judge of the Tbilisi City Court Georgiy Shavliashvili sentenced Irakliy Okruashvili in absentia to 11 years of imprisonment. He was found guilty of extorting shares of the cellular phone company GeoSell.
The Court's session was held today in Paris, reports the ITAR-TASS.
The decision to deny extradition was made in writing. According to Mr Okruashvili's advocates, the verdict was expected. The judges took into consideration the fact that earlier the OFPRA (French Service for Refugees and Displaced persons) had provided Okruashvili with the status of political refugee.
The verdict of the Appeal Court is final and means that now Okruashvili can stay in France.
The Court has also cancelled legal restrictions on ex-minister's travels imposed earlier by French authorities, notes the RIA "Novosti".
