Court Proceedings on Okruashvili's Case, Concerning Events of 2011, is Continued in Tbilisi City Court

Tbilisi Court proceedings on the case of ex-defence minister
of Georgia Irakli Okruashvili, accused of illegal armed unit formation and its
leadership, are held in Tbilisi City Court on Wednesday, January 9.

               As
Okruashvili's lawyer Mamuka Chabashvili has told journalists, today
interrogation of 7 witnesses  in the case
is planned at the sitting.

               On
November 20, 2012 Okruashvili, who was granted a political refugee status in
France, returned voluntarily back to Georgia and was arrested on the basis of
Tbilisi City Court's  rule of March 28,
2008, which had sentenced him to 11 year imprisonment for "bribery of
substantial sum through extortion by an organized group". Okruashvili's
return give possibility to his lawyers 
to appeal against Tbilisi City Court's rule in the higher court
instance.  

Besides, some court proceedings are
underway in Tbilisi City Court on cases that were instituted against Okruashvili
during the period, when the United National Movement ruled  in the country. One of the cases concerns
events of spring 2011, when, according t the prosecution, the ex-defence
minister, residing in France at that 
time,  formed an armed unit in
Georgia and intended to return , accompanied by Russian SAWT, to the
country.  Court proceedings on this case
began in Tbilisi  City Court on December
5, 2012.  On Tuesday, the Chief
Prosecutor's Office also stated that it freed Okruashvili from two accusations
- money laundering and power abuse.

               At the present time ex-defence minister of Georgia is
serving a term of punishment  in Tbilisi
prison