Former Georgian Defense Minister who fought for Ukraine arrested
15 May 09:49
The Tbilisi City Court remanded Irakli Okruashvili, former Minister of Defense of Georgia in 2004-2006, into custody. The measure of restraint was changed from bail in the amount of 20 thousand GEL (over 280 thousand hryvnias) to arrest. This was reported by the Georgian service of Radio Liberty, "Komersant Ukrainian" informs
Okruashvili was accused of failing to comply with the request of the provisional investigative commission. He was summoned to provide explanations to the commission in connection with the 2008 war between Georgia and Russia. The testimony was scheduled for March 26, 2025. However, Mr. Okruashvili refused to appear before the commission, which was set up by the pro-Russian ruling Georgian Dream party and intended to investigate the period of rule of its main political rival, the National Movement, which was headed by Mikheil Saakashvili at the time.
The investigation, according to Georgian political analysts, is being conducted because the Georgian Dream wants to ban the party associated with Saakashvili.
“The National Movement and other opposition parties in Georgia do not recognize the legitimacy of the current government formed by the Georgian Dream.
After Okruashvili refused to attend the commission’s meeting, he was charged under Article 349 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which provides for “failure to comply with the request of the provisional investigative commission of the Georgian parliament.” Such actions are punishable by a fine or imprisonment for up to a year, or deprivation of the right to hold office or engage in activities for up to three years.
He was also summoned to the Tbilisi City Court in April to testify. The former defense minister came there and answered the questions of the investigating body in front of a justice of the peace. There, the former minister was granted bail in the amount of 20 thousand GEL and banned from leaving Georgia until the case is completed. The deadline for posting bail was 30 days, which expired on May 8.
As Irakli Okruashvili stated at the court hearing, he did not pay the bail.
In 2019, Okruashvili was detained in Georgia on charges of organizing protests against the ruling party. After Russia invaded Ukraine, the former minister volunteered to fight on the side of Kyiv against Russia. He explained: “We already went through this in 2008 (when Russia attacked Georgia). Here, the struggle between evil and good, between dictatorship and democracy, is ongoing.”
