ECHR rules former Georgian Defence Minister’s appeal as inadmissible

The European Court of Human Rights on Thursday ruled an appeal by former Georgian Defence Minister Bacho Akhalaia alleging unlawful detention and politically motivated prosecution against him to be inadmissible and declared the application “manifestly unfounded”.

The Ministry of Justice said the ECHR had clarified that the detention as a restraint measure of Akhalaia in 2012 had been in “full compliance” with both Georgian law and European standards.

The Court found there to have been “no deliberate delay” in investigations of alleged offences by Akhalaia, and also ruled there had been no arbitrary element on the part of Georgian investigative authorities or the national court.

As for the applicant's allegations of persecution on political grounds, the court clarified that since the allegations concerning the lawfulness of his detention were manifestly unfounded, the applicant's position as if his detention was politically motivated should also be declared inadmissible", ECHR said in its ruling.

Akhalaia had argued that his detention for cases dating between 2012-2014 had been illegal, as the total term of detention exceeded the maximum term prescribed by law. He had also alleged that his detention had not been duly substantiated by the national courts and had served the purpose of politically motivated prosecution.