Georgian court adjourns trial of former defense minister
By Sabina Idayatova
A court in the Georgian capital Tbilisi has adjourned the trial of former Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili, allowing time for the defendant`s lawyers to familiarize with the case.
Okruashvili returned to Georgia from France and was arrested on Tuesday morning upon arrival in the Tbilisi airport. Okruashvili faces charges including abuse of office and bribery. If convicted, he could be handed down a jail sentence of six to nine years.
Prior to the trial at the Tbilisi City Court, a crowd gathered in front of the court building, as some could not enter the courtroom. The judge allowed the press to film the courtroom for two minutes considering the exceptional public interest taken in the trial.
According to the newsgeorgia.ru website, Okruashvili after resigning as Defense Minister in 2007, announced the establishment of an opposition movement and made accusations against the country's leadership. Two days later he was arrested on charges of corruption. During the interrogation, Okruashvili completely abandoned his allegations against the president and partly pleaded guilty to the charges against him. Okruashvili was released on bail pending the investigation and was subsequently announced wanted. According to the Tbilisi City Court's March 28, 2008 ruling, Okruashvili was reportedly sentenced in absentia to 11 years of imprisonment for misappropriation of budget funds. In April 2008 he was granted political asylum in France.
Meanwhile, President Mikheil Saakashvili called on the new government on Tuesday to fulfill the campaign promises instead of revenge.
According to Saakashvili, representatives of the new government have made statements in the past few days, the tone of which allows to conclude that detentions will continue and affect many political opponents of Georgian Dream -- an opposition coalition of tycoon Bidzina Ivanishvili, which won the October 1 parliamentary election.
The election was followed by the formation of a new cabinet in Georgia in which Ivanishvili now serves as prime minister.
"There is a wave of arrests in the country that exhilarate some as well as cause concern of some people, including our European colleagues," President Saakashvili said during a meeting with youths at the presidential palace.
Over the last ten days the Georgian law enforcement bodies detained a number of high-ranking officials of the former government, including former Defense and Interior Minister Bacho Akhalaia.