Court of Appeals leaves verdict to deny ex-Defence Minister Okruashvili bail intact

Tbilisi Court of Appeals has left the verdict to deny ex-Defence Minister Irakli Okruashvili bail intact.

Okruashvili was charged with incitement to group violence during the June 20 protests in Tbilisi, which is punishable by six to nine years in prison.

He was denied bail on July 27 which was later appealed by Okruashvili’s lawyers.

Okruahsvili served as prosecutor general, interior and defence ministers under the United National Movement government.

After opposing former president and ally Mikheil Saakashvili back in 2007, he was detained on corruption charges. 

Okruashvili left for France several days after he was released, where he lived until 2012.

He returned to Georgia in winter 2012, shortly after the Georgian Dream leadership defeated the nine-year-rule of the United National Movement leadership.

Currently he chairs the Victorious Georgia opposition party and is “fighting to regain his shares” of the Rustavi 2 channel.