Georgian court rules against extradition of Russian businessman, supporter of opposition leader Navalny

The Georgian Court of Appeals has upheld the verdict of Tbilisi City Court earlier today and ruled against the extradition of Russian businessman Sergey Bokarev, who is requesting asylum in Georgia. 

Bokarev, who arrived in Georgia back in 2018, says he has been financially supporting Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and is thus being prosecuted by the Russian government. 

He says that if he is extradited to Russia, he will be sent to prison and abused and tortured there.

The Georgian Interior Ministry Migration Department had dismissed his request for political asylum which Bokarev appealed to the court. 

Both the Tbilisi City Court and Court of Appeals ruled that the migration department must re-discuss the issue.

If the courts approved the decision of the migration department to refuse Bokarev asylum, then extradition procedures would be launched. 

Bokarev was arrested shortly after he arrived in Georgia in 2018 per the request of the Russian government. 

Following this Bokarev requested asylum in Georgia.