Charges intensify for ex-Defence Minister Kezerashvili and ex-Tbilisi Mayor Ugulava

Charges against two former officials of ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili’s government have been intensified. 

Heavier charges were laid against Georgia’s former Defence Minister David Kezerashvili and former Tbilisi Mayor Gigi Ugulava with regard to the November 7, 2007 protest crackdown and raid on the headquarters of Tbilisi-based Imedi TV.

The former officials’ lawyers said Kezerashvili and Ugulava were charged with embezzlement and money laundering in the case related to late Georgian media tycoon Badri Patarkatsishvili’s property.

"Charges against Kezerashvili have been revised. Initially he was accused only of abuse of power but now he is also charged with money laundering. This is a purely political process which is aimed at keeping former Mayor Gigi Ugulava behind bars, since his pre-trail detention term expires on April 2," said Kezerashvili’s lawyer Beka Basilaia.

Imedi Media Holding was established by Patarkatsishvili in 2001. In 2007, when the media tycoon became one of the leaders of opposition, Imedi TV was banished by the riot police and shut down.

On November 7, 2007 a series of anti-government protests took place across Georgia and ended with protesters being dispersed by police who used tear gas and water cannons. A total of 508 people were taken to hospital when riot police dispersed thousands of protesters in various parts of Tbilisi.

Demonstrations started on September 28, 2007. It peaked on November 2 when up to 100,000 people gathered in front of the Parliament building in Tbilisi. Protesters urged then-president Saakashvili to step down. The protests were organised by a coalition involving major oppositional political parties.

At the time Saakashvili accused the Russian Secret Service of being involved in an attempted coup d’etat. He declared a nationwide state of emergency that lasted for 15 days.

Meanwhile on November 7, 2007, riot police attacked Imedi TV while the news program was live on air. Police officers in masks and carrying assault rifles were seen sealing off the office. The broadcaster, which the government claimed were biased and pro-oppositional, was subsequently switched off.

The next day Saakashvili announced an early presidential election for January 5, 2008, as a compromise to the solution.

The then-government was criticised for using heavy-handed tactics against protesters.

November 2007 was evaluated as the worst political crisis in Georgia since the Rose Revolution in 2003.