Former Georgian official wanted by Interpol detained in Ukraine

Former Georgian Defense Ministry senior official Megis Kardava, who has been accused of torture and prisoner abuse by Georgia's judiciary, has been detained in Ukraine.

In 2014 Kardava was sentenced to nine years imprisonment for various criminal charges including torture and abuse of power. He was placed Interpol's wanted list upon the request of the Georgian authorities.

According to Imedi TV, Kardava was trying to enter Ukraine from Romania with a false passport.

The official Interpol webpage says, Kardava has been charged with:

• Exceeding of official authority by a public official;
• Humiliation of a person, coercion and putting a person in an inhumane position;
• Torture;
• Liability of Perpetrator and Accomplice- Torture;
• Liability of Perpetrator and Accomplice-Sexual Abuse under Violence;
• Exceeding Official Powers;
• Illegal imprisonment.

The Prosecutor’s Office said in 2011 Davit Londaridze was taken to a police station where he was tortured by Kardava and Aleksandre Mukhadze, the former head of prison No.8 in Tbilisi. The pair forced Londaridze to confess to spying, in allegiance with Russia. Victim was a military officer at the Ministry of Defence.

In court, the prosecutor said that the supposed confession of Londaridze became the basis for detaining and convicting 57-year-old Sergo Tetradze of espionage. According to the prosecutor's office, Tetradze was tortured several times in prison and was forced to confess to espionage. He died as result of inhumane treatment.