Merabishvili questioned following claims he was blackmailed by ex-Chief Prosecutor

Georgias former Prime Minister has been officially questioned following his earlier claims he was blackmailed while in prison by Chief Prosecutor Otar Partskhaladze (who resigned on December 30 citing unrelated reasons).

Merabishvili said Partskhaladze asked him to help the investigation to solve the ex-Prime Minister Zurab Zhvanias case, and to also provide him with details of ex-President Mikheil Saakashvilis bank accounts otherwise Merabishvilis conditions in prison would deteriorate and his friends would be arrested.

According to Merabishvili,he was taken out of his prison cell with his head covered by his own jacket and was taken to an unknown location, which he suspected was a department of the penitentiary system

Vano Merabishvili has been questioned by the General Inspection of the Penitentiary System.

Merabishvilis lawyer, Davit Khazhalia, also attended the questioning. According to Khazhalia, it is not known if the video footage, describing how Merabishvili was taken from jail, has been found.  

The Ministry of Corrections and Legal Assistance began investigating Merabishvilis accusation against Partskhaladze on December 23.