05 January 2013, 15:00
In Georgia, Court leaves Irakli Okruashvili under arrest
The Tbilisi City Court dismissed the motion filed by prosecutors to change the pre-trial restriction measure to Irakli Okruashvili, ex-Minister of Defence of Georgia, accused of organizing an illegal armed formation and leading it.
At night on November 20, Irakli Okruashvili, who was earlier granted political asylum in France, returned to Georgia, and he was placed in the Gldani Prison. The return of the former Minister to the native land is associated with his desire to prove his innocence in crimes of which he was accused.
On March 28, 2008, the Tbilisi City Court sentenced Irakli Okruashvili in absentia to 11 years of imprisonment on charges of extorting shares of the cellular communication company "GeoSell".
The Prosecutor's Office of Georgia filed to the court the motion to change the pre-trial restriction measure to the arrested former Minister to release on bail. This was reported by the "Georgia Online" with reference to the "Georgian Party". However, the Tbilisi City Court dismissed the request of the Prosecutor's Office and left Irakli Okruashvili in custody.
