EU releases statement on Ugulava's arrest
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The European Union is closely following the arrest of a United National Movement (UNM) opposition party leader and former Mayor of Tbilisi, Gigi Ugulava.
The EU released a statement on the arrest of Tbilisi's suspended Mayor.
The EU also called on Georgian authorities "to ensure the judicial process is fully independent, transparent, and free of political influence”.
"We note that Mr Ugulava, previously suspended as Mayor of Tbilisi, is the opposition's chief campaign organiser during the ongoing municipal elections in Georgia. We recall Prime Minister [Irakli] Garibashvili's announcement on 14 April of a moratorium on the arrest and prosecution of opposition figures during this election period,” the statement read.
"We call once more upon the Georgian authorities to ensure that the judicial process is fully independent, transparent, and free of political influence, in line with the commitments undertaken by Georgia when it signed the Association Agreement with the European Union last week on 27 June 2014," it said.
The Chief Prosecutor's Office of Georgia filed a motion with Tbilisi City Court requesting Ugulava be held in pre-trial detention.
Ex-Tbilisi Mayor charged with money laundering and organising violence
A Court hearing is expected to be held on Friday evening.
Ugulava claimed he was innocent and his supporters said his arrest was politically motivated.
A Member of Georgian Parliament and member of ruling coalition believes the detainment of former Tbilisi Mayor Gigi Ugulava has not violated a pre-election moratorium instigated by the Prime Minister of Georgia.
The Tbilisi Court of Appeal has rejected an appeal from Tbilisi’s former Mayor Gigi Ugulava about his pre-trial detention.
The former Mayor of Georgia’s capital Tbilisi, Gigi Ugulava, has been released after spending 14 months in pre-trial detention.
The United States Embassy in Georgia and the European Union (EU) Delegation to Georgia are welcoming the Constitutional Court’s verdict that pushed the release of former Tbilisi Mayor Gigi Ugulava from pre-trial detention.
Gigi Ugulava, the former Mayor of Georgia’s capital Tbilisi has been found guilty of misspending millions of public funds and been sentenced to four years and six months in jail.
Today the President of Georgia Giorgi Margvelahsvili responded to the group of well-known Georgians who submitted a letter to the President’s administration and appealed him to pardon ex-Tbilisi Mayor Gigi Ugulava.
Former Tbilisi mayor Gigi Ugulava was released from prison today around 6:30 PM after Tbilisi Court of Appeals reduced his sentence, effectively ending his prison term.
The judicial system of Georgia has the opportunity to be independent which is an integral part of any healthy democratic system, says the United States Embassy in Georgia.