Former UNM official Megis Kardava, wanted for 11 high-profile cases, extradited from Ukraine to Georgia

Former head of Georgia’s military police under the United National Movement (UNM) government Megis Kardava has been extradited from Ukraine to Georgia earlier today. 

Kardava is charged with abuse of authority, torture, sexual abuse and illegal imprisonment and has been wanted by Georgian law enforcers since 2013 for 11 criminal cases.

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The ruling Georgian Dream party MP Mamuka Mdinaradze has stated Kardava, ‘who is a symbol of the UNM,’ has been extradited thanks to Georgian PM Irakli Garibashvili. 

Media reports claim Kardava has been placed in Rustavi prison. 

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Last week when a Ukrainian court was discussing his case, Kardava said that his extradition to Georgia was connected with the upcoming October 2 municipal elections. 

Kardava has been on the run since 2012.

The ruling Georgian Dream party aims to boost its rating through my extradition,” Kardava claimed, noting that ‘Ukrainian and Georgian governments have agreed on his extradition.’ 

Kardava was detained in Ukraine in November 2017, when he tried to illegally enter the country from Romania.

His extradition was delayed back in 2018 as the latter asked Ukraine for political asylum.

The Georgian Chief Prosecutor’s Office stated then that Ukrainian law prohibited extradition from its territory before the completion of asylum-related procedures.