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Okruashvili-Victim or Criminal?

October 1, 2007

25_agv_vin_mfarvelobs.gifOn September 27, Irakli Okruashvili, former Georgian Defense Ministry and current leader of the “Movement for United Georgia” was detained and accused under four chapters of Georgian Criminal Code. Prosecutor’s Office suspected him for misusing his power, accepting bribe, money laundering and negligence. Tbilisi Civil Court will discuss his case on September 29 and sentence him to pre-trial detention. Eka Beselia, attorney for former Defense Ministry, stated that Okruashvili denies accusations against him and considers he is a political prisoner.

Before his detention, Irakli Okruashvili made scandalous statements on TV Company “Imedi”. He accused Georgian President Misha Saakashvili and his co-thinkers for very grave crimes.

September 28, Morning

They announced that Georgian Prosecutor General, Zurab Adeishvili and Georgian Internal Minister, Vano Merabishvili will interrogate the former Defense Minister.

Together with Prosecutor General’s Office special group of investigators from the Department for Constitutional Security within the Internal Ministry investigate the case on Okruashvili.

At the moment, the office of Okruashvili’s party in Sanapiro Street # 10 in Tbilisi is surrounded and sealed up by law enforcers. Last night they searched the office as well as Okruashvili’s flat in Tbilisi and his parents’ house in the village of Tkviavi in Gori District. Eka Beselia stated that various stuff were removed from the flat without any official documents and the attorney was not allowed to attend the search process. According to the spread information, law enforcers withdrew twelve guns from Okruashvili’s flat.

Attorney Eka Beselia met Irakli Okruashvili at the Special Operative Department, in so-called Moduli building. The attorney handed him the book of prayers and Mikheil Javakhishvili’s novels according to the detainee’s wish.

Beselia stated that Okruashvili has some problems about law enforcement bodies because they did not inform him about his rights while detention. The attorney added that her client feels himself well.

Beselia informed the news agency “Medianews” that Okruashvili asked her to make statement to Georgian people and in his appeal he calls upon the society to resist the illegal activities of Georgian Government.

Beselia claimed that there are no guarantees that Okruashvili will be in safety. “This government can do everything.”

September 28, Morning

Salome Zurabishvili, leader of Political Party “Sakartvelos Khma” responded to Okruashvili’s detention from the USA and gave political estimations to the fact. “It makes no difference whether my positions coincide with Okruashvili’s ideas or whether he is guilty or not…his detention exceeded all boundaries. Our government started political persecution. Okruashvili is political prisoner! I will do my best during my visit in the USA to inform local officials about the fact. It will be main topic for my meetings here,” said Zurabishvili.

Salome Zurabishvili, publicist Irakli Kakabadze, lawyer Ana Dolidze, Konstantine Gamsakhurdia, the leader of the party “Tavisufleba” and Davit Usufashvili, leader of the “Republic Party” are about to hold press-conference in Washington regarding Irakli Okruashvili’s detention.

September 28, 11:00 AM

Special briefing was held in the office of National Movement. Members of the leading party pointed out that Irakli Okruashvili failed to gain guarantees on political immunity based on his radical statements against the government.

Member of Parliamentary majority, Giga Bokeria stated that Okruashvili’s detention proved once again that the every criminal will be prosecuted under the law regardless his/her political or social level. “Despite political records or statements, if high ranking official abuses his power and extorts money, the Rule of Law will be used on him/her too,” said Bokeria.

He added that Okruashvili was not detained because of his radical statements but just the opposite, the former Defense Minister accused the government for groundless crimes to avoid imprisonment.

Bokeria said that reactions from opposition parties was hysterical and added that the fact irritated only “unsuccessful politicians.”

Bokeria stated that governmental opponents mentioned “the overthrow” several times. “Nobody should dare and apply to forcible methods because the government’s reaction on their protest will be too strict and adequate,” Bokeria warned the people.

Mikheil Machavariani, Vice-Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, demanded the Law Enforcement bodies to investigate Okruashvili’s accusations against the government and found out whether he had corresponding proofs.

Davit Kirkitadze, Secretary-General of the National Movement, considers that “There is not “fire” in the country and if somebody tries to set the country on “fire”, our government will adequately reply to rebellion.”

September 28, 2:00 PM

Huge demonstration is held in front of the Georgian Parliament and it is organized by political opposition and demands the government to resign and to hold pre-term elections. Leaders of the opposition made similar decision late at night of September 27 after Okruashvili was arrested.

It must be pointed out the one of that one of most outstanding opposition parties, “New Rights”, has not joined the protest demonstration. Davit Gamkrelidze, the leader for the party stated at special briefing today that they are not going to take part in the protest demonstration regarding the detention of Irakli Okruashvili.

Gamkrelidze stated that both governmental officials and Irakli Okruashvili are carpet-baggers. Participation in similar demonstration will badly tell on country’s future because “there is no difference between Bokeria and Okruashvili.”

“In 1991 late President, Gamsakhurdia was overthrown by his retinue; in 2003 the same happened with ex-president Shevardnadze. Did we benefit anything from those two coup d’etats? Now they are demanding to overthrow Saakashvili too. It will have no output if we replace Saakashvilii-Bokeria with Okruashvili-Kareli-Nikoleihsvili,” said Gamkrelidze.

The leaders of the New Rights state that they will join carpet-baggers and they will try to change the government through elections.

Leaders and representatives of the Irakli Okruashvili’s party, “Khalkhis Partia” (people’s party), Republic Party, Labor Party, “Kartuli Dasi” (Georgian group), “Sakartvelos Gza” (future of Georgia), “Mamu;oshvili” (patriot), “Tavisufleba” (freedom), “Chven Tvitin” (on our own) and National-Democratic Party attended the priest demonstration in front of the Parliament.

September 28, 3:00 PM

“Dimitri Kitoshvili, former Parliamentary Secretary of Georgian President, who was previously accused for corruption, was released under bail after he cooperated with investigation regarding Irakli Okruashvili’s case,” announced Nika Gvaramia, deputy Prosecutor General at the special briefing. He added that “Kitoshvili made decision to cooperate with investigation himself and based on his testimony Okruashvili was deprived from the accusation on extortion and it was replaced by misuse of his power through accepting bribes. Gvaramia defined that former MP Jemal Svanidze made testimonies to the investigation that proved Kitoshvili’s statements.

Deputy Prosecutor General said that spread information as if Irakli Okruashvili was not introduced with his rights while detention is fraudulent. In order to avoid incidents former Defense Minister was introduced with his rights in the administrative building of the Internal Ministry.

Russian Media Sources Reacted on Okruashvili’s Detention

Detention of former Georgian Defense Minister became the leading topic for Russian media sources.

Leading Russian TV Companies, „НТВ“, „РТР“, „ОРТ“ and “PEН ТВ“, prepared large items on the detention.

According to Russian TV presenters there is a new pre-revolutionary situation in Georgia. 

Russian printed media widely discussed “up-coming revolution” in Georgia. “Obshaia Gazeta” claimed that clans are fighting for authority in Georgia and Saakashvili managed to lock Okruashvili in prison.

“Izvestia” claimed that detention will be profitable for Okruashvili and it might result into “another civil war in Georgia.”

Presenters of the Radio “Maiak” stated that Okruashvili’s statements were too useful for Russian authority.

Journalists for the Radio “Ekho Maskvi” consider that large-scaled civil controversy is unlikely to start in Georgia because local authority is capable to get rid of similar situation”.

Human Rights Center tied to find out whether Georgia has political prisoners nowadays.

Paata Zakareishvili, political scientist: Nowadays there are several political prisoners and one prisoner of conscious in Georgia. The latter is Irakli Batiashvili who was detained because of his faith. In other cases people were detained for political motives and judges created charges on them. Two years ago Shalva Ramishvili was arrested because he was a presenter of opposition TV program and the government did not appreciate his activities. Unfortunately, he was provoked into bribery. As for Irakli Okruashvili, although he was detained for quite different crimes he had really committed, former minister was arrested after his political statements and he joined the list of political prisoners. It is evident that if Okruashvili had kept silence, he would never have been arrested.

Nana Kakabadze, “Former Political Prisoners for Human Rights”: “Although our government does not admit, Georgia do has political prisoners as well as prisoners of conscious. Since Irakli Okruashvili made political statements, the government decided to arrest him. However, his detention was planned as soon as former minister decided to return to politics. Official grounds of his detention were quite different from real ones. Our authority has never mentioned corruption regarding Okruashvili for such a long time since his resignation. He was seen off to America to get education as a hero and respectful minister. However, as soon as Okruashvili started to make political statements he was arrested.

Ramaz Sakvarelidze, political scientist: Georgian society started to discuss whether Okruashvili is a political prisoner or not. Our government claims that he was detained for criminal crime; opposition considers that he was arrested because of his political statements and consequently he is political prisoner. To make final conclusions society should know the final results of the investigation. Mikheil Machavariani demanded to check the accusations against the government former minister stated on TV. If those accusations are right, Okruashvili will be detained in order to get rid of him as a witness and political rival. I think this situation and argument cannot be considered as a struggle of a right person for justice. We can simply conclude that people with similar political orientation and ethic have opposed each other.

Human Rights Center is making special statement regarding the situation. Events that took place on September 27 demonstrate that government loses control day-by-day. Detention of ten more people together with the former Defense Minster, as well as  grabbing cameras from journalists and prevention them from professional activities, prove that political processes in Georgia are not democratic and intolerable for civilized countries. Human Rights Center is deeply concerned about detainees who were arrested on September 27 because nobody knows their location yet.

Human Rights Center considers that detention of Irakli Okruashvili and having accused him for above-mentioned crimes is not attempt to punish a criminal. In fact government tried to neutralize a political opponent and to threaten other opposition parties. The organization states that it is first step to “prepare” for up-coming elections and society should expect the situation to worsen more and more.

Nino Tarkhnishvili 

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