Judge denies former defence minister bail
Irakli Okruashvili was detained for incitement to violence during the clashes of June 20. Photo: IPN
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A Tbilisi City Court has denied bail to Irakli Okruashvili, the former Georgian Defence Minister under the United National Movement (UNM) leadership.
Okruashvili was detained on July 25 for incitement to violence during the clashes of June 20 in front of the parliament of Georgia. However, he denies the charges against him.
A total of 19 individuals have been charged with group violence during the rally, including opposition United National Movement (UNM) member Nika Melia.
Two individuals have been detained for organising, leading and participating in group violence during the June 20 rally, the Georgian Interior Ministry reports. The ministry says the two took part in group violence, attacked police and attempted to storm the parliament building in an organised manner.
Irakli Okruashvili, the former Georgian Defence Minister under the United National Movement leadership has been detained for incitement to violence during the clashes of June 20 in front of the parliament of Georgia. Okruashvili has been charged with organising, heading and participating in group violence, the Georgian Interior Ministry reported.
Three individuals have been detained for group violence against police during the June 20 rally, the Georgian Interior Ministry has reported.“As of now 12 have been charged with organising and participating in group violence during the rally, including opposition member Nika Melia,” the ministry spokesperson stated earlier today.
Opposition United National Movement party member Nika Melia, who is charged with incitement to violence during the recent Tbilisi protests, will have to wear an electronic bracelet to be monitored, as the Court of Appeals did not change the decision of Tbilisi City Court earlier today and accepted Melia’s release on bail.
Lawyers of former Defence Minister of Georgia Irakli Okruashvili have appealed the decision of Tbilisi City Court to deny bail to the former official regarding the June 20 unrest in Tbilisi.
Tbilisi Court of Appeals has left the verdict to deny ex-Defence Minister Okruashvili bail intact.
The Georgian Chief Prosecutor’s Office has warned the MP of the United National Movement opposition (UNM) Nika Mela about the possible use of ‘tougher pre-trial measures,’ after the legislator violated his bail conditions and left his house without the consent of law enforcement on September 10.
Tbilisi City Court has left former Defence Minister Irakli Okruashvili in pretrial detention, declining the offer of his lawyer on the payment of 500,000 GEL ($168,000) for bail.
Tbilisi City Court has refused to grant victim status to 16 individuals, including eight journalists, who received injuries during the June 20 rally dispersal in central Tbilisi. The court says that currently there is no sufficient evidence to grant victim status to these individuals.
Former Minister of Defense Irakli Okruashvili has been found guilty in the June 20 rally case and been sentenced to five years in prison by Tbilisi City Court today.