29 January 2008, 12:19
Irakliy Okruashvili's case will be considered by French Court on January 30
On January 30, the French Court will start considering the case of Irakliy Okruashvili, former Minister of Defence of Georgia, who is kept in a Paris prison.
Eka Beseliya, Okruashvili's advocate has informed the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that "so far, Irakliy Okruashvili was formally interrogated and explained, under what articles he was charged."
On January 9, Irakliy Okruashvili was brought from Germany to Paris and put behind the bars. Okruashvili's transfer took place because he arrived to the country under a Shengen visa, which was issued to him in the French Embassy in Tbilisi.
Earlier, the now disgraced former minister told in his interview to the German magazine "Spiegel" that in case of his deportation to his homeland he may be killed.
The authorities of Georgia accuse the former Minister of Defence of bribery, extortion, money laundering, negligence and abuse of service powers.
Okruashvili himself finds his case to be not criminal but political. In his opinion, the Georgian prosecutor's office prosecutes him for his utterances against the policy of Mikhail Saakashvili.
On November, Okruashvili supported live on air from Munich the participants of the mass protest action. He also confirmed all his charges against the authorities of the country, including President Mikhail Saakashvili, and has informed that gave his evidences during arrest under pressure. However, Nika Gvaramiya, deputy general public prosecutor, called everything what Okruashvili said to be a lie.
Author: Edita Badasian, CK correspondent
