The trial on Irakli Okruashvili, former Georgian Defense Minister, was postponed until June 11 because time was needed to present additional evidences by the Georgian side. The French Appeal Court should then decide the issue of extradition of the former minister.
French judge reported that issue of granting political shelter to Okruashvili will be settled in June after the French side will have been made completely aware of the all demands of the Georgian government. Besides that, they would hear the counter-arguments of Irakli Okruashvili. All the circumstances leading up to the detention of the former minister will be taken into consideration.
The trial, that should have been held yesterday in Paris at 4:00 PM of Tbilisi time but it started two hours late. However, the former minister appeared at the court on time. Yesterday he and his attorneys expected to hear a final verdict. The court hearing lasted for nearly fifteen minutes.
Irakli Okruashvili asked Georgian journalists after the trial to tell the Georgian President that he is not hurrying. He is expecting the third child in three weeks and currently he is mostly preoccupied with family matters. “I will calm down. On June 11 the court proceedings will end and I will find time for Misha too,” said Okruashvili.
He called to a political show to discuss the decision of the Tbilisi Court that had passed verdict without his physical presence and sentenced him to eleven-year term of imprisonment.
The attorneys of Okruashvili provided the court with the video recordings of their client as evidence. The former minister makes political statements on those recordings and blames president Mikheil Saakashvili for ordering the assassination of the late businessman Badri Patarkatsivhili. He also accuses the president for being involved in corruption.
The defense side was sure that after such evidence was provided that the French Court would refuse to extradite Okruashvili back Georgia and grant him political refugee status. Lawyers connect the postponing of the trial to the up-coming Parliamentary Elections that is scheduled to take place on May 21st in Georgia for members of parliament.
The French attorney also expressed his discontent about the activities of the Georgian law enforcers. He said that June 11 is period after the parliamentary elections and he is sure that the Georgian side had done it intentionally hoping the court would not be able to make decision on the case of the former minister before the elections, (as this could have implications in the ballot box).
French judge reported that issue of granting political shelter to Okruashvili will be settled in June after the French side will have been made completely aware of the all demands of the Georgian government. Besides that, they would hear the counter-arguments of Irakli Okruashvili. All the circumstances leading up to the detention of the former minister will be taken into consideration.
The trial, that should have been held yesterday in Paris at 4:00 PM of Tbilisi time but it started two hours late. However, the former minister appeared at the court on time. Yesterday he and his attorneys expected to hear a final verdict. The court hearing lasted for nearly fifteen minutes.
Irakli Okruashvili asked Georgian journalists after the trial to tell the Georgian President that he is not hurrying. He is expecting the third child in three weeks and currently he is mostly preoccupied with family matters. “I will calm down. On June 11 the court proceedings will end and I will find time for Misha too,” said Okruashvili.
He called to a political show to discuss the decision of the Tbilisi Court that had passed verdict without his physical presence and sentenced him to eleven-year term of imprisonment.
The attorneys of Okruashvili provided the court with the video recordings of their client as evidence. The former minister makes political statements on those recordings and blames president Mikheil Saakashvili for ordering the assassination of the late businessman Badri Patarkatsivhili. He also accuses the president for being involved in corruption.
The defense side was sure that after such evidence was provided that the French Court would refuse to extradite Okruashvili back Georgia and grant him political refugee status. Lawyers connect the postponing of the trial to the up-coming Parliamentary Elections that is scheduled to take place on May 21st in Georgia for members of parliament.
The French attorney also expressed his discontent about the activities of the Georgian law enforcers. He said that June 11 is period after the parliamentary elections and he is sure that the Georgian side had done it intentionally hoping the court would not be able to make decision on the case of the former minister before the elections, (as this could have implications in the ballot box).
Source: Medianews
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