State Security Service “studying” US’ sanctioning of former Prosecutor General
The Georgian State Security Service on Friday said it was “studying” the sanctioning of Otar Partskhaladze due to “high public interest”. Photo: GSSS
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The Georgian State Security Service on Friday said it was “studying” the sanctioning of Otar Partskhaladze, the former Prosecutor General of Georgia under the Georgian Dream Government, by the United States Department of State this week.
The body’s comment, which also noted “high public interest” in the case, came after the State Department on Thursday announced it had sanctioned Partskhaladze - who held the position between November-December 2013 - for “influencing Georgian society and politics for the benefit of Russia”.
The US state body said Aleksandr Onishchenko, an officer of Russia’s security agency FSB who has also been sanctioned along with the Georgian former official, had “likely assisted his associate Partskhaladze in obtaining a Russian passport and possibly Russian citizenship”, and added the former Georgian Prosecutor General had “fully taken on a Russian identity and routinely travels to Russia”.
Partskhaladze appeared on the latest list of sanctions along with more than 150 other individuals, on the backdrop of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, which means all his assets and interests registered in the US will be blocked.
Any kind of transfer to sanctioned individuals or to those who own 50 percent share in companies related to them will also be blocked.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Friday responded to the development by saying Partskhaladze had held “no connection” with state structures “for the last 10 years”.
State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller earlier during the day said “no sanction” imposed by his country on an individual could change his country’s “strategic ties” with Georgia.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Friday said Otar Partskhaladze - the former Prosecutor General of the country who was recently sanctioned by the United States Department of State for “influencing Georgian society and politics for the benefit of Russia” - had held “no connection” with state structures “for the last 10 years”.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Friday said the United States’ decision in April to impose visa restrictions on three acting and one former Georgian judges for “significant corruption” had come “without evidence” and was a “gross violation” of the country’s judicial independence and its constitution.
Georgian judge Irakli Shengelia, one of four sanctioned by the United States Department of State last week, on Monday said he was going to appeal the decision in a US court.
Archil Talakvadze, the Vice Speaker in the Georgian Parliament, on Thursday said the United States Department of State’s decision on Wednesday to impose sanctions on four Georgian judges was “unfair”, "absolutely unacceptable” and “incompatible” with the strategic cooperation between the states.
The Georgian State Security Service on Monday claimed it had uncovered a plan by former officials of the previous United National Movement Government who were aiming to cause “civil unrest” and overthrow the country’s Government using a “Euromaidan scenario” this fall.
The National Bank of Georgia on Monday restricted access to bank assets and financial transactions to Otar Partskhaladze, the former Prosecutor General of the country who was last week sanctioned by the United States Department of State for alleged ties with Russia.
Georgian Prosecutor General’s Office on Tuesday rejected claims by the country’s imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili and figures from the domestic opposition on the body’s alleged links with Otar Partskhaladze, the former Prosecutor General who was sanctioned last week by the United States for “influencing Georgian society and politics for the benefit of Russia”, as “disinformation”
Georgian Finance Ministry on Tuesday refuted claims by the United National Movement party and "related political groups” on the body’s alleged links with Otar Partskhaladze, the former Prosecutor General, who was sanctioned last week by the United States for “influencing Georgian society and politics for the benefit of Russia”, as “one more absurd and slanderous” misinformation.
The National Bank of Georgia on Tuesday said it had amended its regulation on compliance with the international financial sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, exempting Georgian citizens from being sanctioned without domestic court judgement.
Natia Turnava, the Acting President of the National Bank of Georgia, on Wednesday said the new amendments in the regulation on the body’s compliance with the international financial sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine were "not aimed at protection of specific names".
Iraikli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday said "punishing citizens without a court verdict" had become a "thing of the past”, in comments on the Georgian National Bank’s decision to exempt Georgian citizens from the international sanctions in Russia for its invasion of Ukraine without domestic court judgement.
Mamuka Mdinaradze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party in the Parliament, on Wednesday claimed the “radical wing” of the domestic opposition was planning “dangerous provocations” following the controversy related to the United States-sanctioned former Prosecutor General Otar Partskhaladze.
Thea Tsulukiani, the Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Culture, Sport and Youth Affairs of Georgia, on Wednesday pledged the Georgian Government would “do everything to ensure there is no shooting and there is peace and stability” in the country.
The Public Service Development Agency of the Justice Ministry on Wednesday said it had deemed it appropriate to terminate the Georgian citizenship of the United States-sanctioned former Prosecutor General Otar Partskhaladze.
Grigol Liluashvili, the head of the Georgian State Security Service, on Thursday said Tbilisi had not received “any evidence” from the United States which could prove the guilt of Otar Partskhaladze, the former Prosecutor General of Georgia who was sanctioned by the State Department in September for his alleged cooperation with the Russian intelligence.
Irakli Shotadze, the Prosecutor General of Georgia, on Tuesday said Otar Partskhaladze, the former Prosecutor General of Georgia who was in September sanctioned by the United States for alleged links with the Russian intelligence, had had “no connection” with the state body over the past 10 years.
The National Bank of Georgia on Monday rejected as “absolutely groundless” claims by non-governmental organisations that alleged the Georgian Government and the Bank were “shielding” four Georgian judges and a former Prosecutor General who have been sanctioned by the United States Department of State.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party on Monday rejected claims by non-governmental organisations that alleged the Georgian authorities had left the sanctions imposed by the United States Department of State on Georgian judges and on the former Prosecutor General “without response”.
Rati Bregadze, the Georgian Justice Minister, on Tuesday said his body had implemented “all procedures” for termination of Georgian citizenship for Otar Partskhaladze, the former Prosecutor General of Georgia, who was in September sanctioned by the United States for his alleged links with Russian intelligence.
Mamuka Mdinaradze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party in the Parliament, on Wednesday said the country’s State Security Service was investigating alleged links of Otar Partskhaladze, the former Prosecutor General of Georgia, with Russian intelligence “despite no evidence” having been provided by United States authorities in their sanctioning of the former official.