Irakli Okruashvili
Irakli Okruashvili | |
---|---|
Ivane Merabishvili | |
Prosecutor General of Georgia | |
In office 14 January 2004 – 7 June 2004 | |
Preceded by | Nugzar Gabrichidze |
Succeeded by | Zurab Adeishvili |
Governor of Shida Kartli | |
In office November 2003 – 14 January 2004 | |
Member of the Tbilisi City Assembly | |
In office 2002 – November 2003 | |
Deputy Minister of Justice | |
In office 2000–2001 | |
Personal details | |
Born | 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine | 6 November 1973
Irakli Okruashvili (
In September 2007, Okruashvili staged a public comeback to Georgian politics, openly confronting Mikheil Saakashvili and creating the opposition party
Okruashvili was sentenced to five years in prison for allegedly participating in group violence in anti-government rallies organized in June 2019.
On March 8, 2022 the
Political career
Irakli Okruashvili was born in
In government
Okruashvili served as the Deputy Minister of Justice from 2000 to 2001. He joined
He served as the Prosecutor General from January 2004 until Saakashvili appointed him Interior Minister in June 2004 and moved him to the post of
Okruashvili said on May 1, 2006, that he would resign if Georgia failed to restore control over breakaway South Ossetian by January 1, 2007.[7]
On November 10, 2006, Saakashvili appointed him Minister for Economic Development. Davit Kezerashvili became the Minister of Defence.[8] Okruashvili resigned as Minister for Economic Development on 17 November 2006.[9]
In opposition
On September 25, 2007, he announced the formation of the new opposition Movement for United Georgia and unleashed criticism on President Saakashvili, accusing him of corruption, incompetency and human rights violations. He also raised new concerns around Zurab Zhvania's death, challenging the official investigation point of view[10] and personally accused the Georgian president in planning the murder of businessman Badri Patarkatsishvili.[11][12]
Speculations about Okruashvili's planned party had been circulating for a long time already and many commentators expected, what they called, "a war of compromising materials" in case of Okruashvili's political comeback. The presentation was preceded by the controversies over financial irregularities surrounding the party's new office and the arrest of Mikheil Kareli, Orkuashvili's close associate and governor of Shida Kartli, on the charges of corruption.[13]
Arrest
On September 27, 2007, Okruashvili was detained on charges of extortion, money laundering, and abuse of office while Georgia's defense minister.[14] On September 28, 2007, several opposition parties organized a peaceful mass rally in Okruashvili's support at the Parliament of Georgia.[15]
On October 8, 2007, in a video taped confession released by the General Prosecutor's Office, Okruashvili pleaded guilty to large-scale bribery through extortion and negligence while serving as minister and retracted his accusations against the president, winning release on bail of 10 million Georgian lari. He also said that his earlier accusations levelled against Saakashvili were not true and were aimed at gaining political dividends for himself and Badri Patarkatsishvili and at discrediting the President of Georgia. Some opposition leaders said Okruashvili's statement had been made under duress.[16] Okruashvili declared, however, that he had decided to cooperate with the investigation in order to "mitigate [his] situation".[17]
Expulsion from Georgia
After he pleaded guilty, Okruashvili was released. Okruashvili left Georgia around November 1, 2007. He subsequently said he was forced into exile; the government said he had asked to leave because of medical issues.[18]
On November 5, 2007, Okruashvili made a surprise appearance on
On November 14, 2007, following a Prosecutor's Office request, a court in Tbilisi ruled that Okruashvili be returned to police custody pending investigation.[21] In December 2007, he was arrested in Germany at the request of Georgia, but was later transferred to France, where a court ruled that he be freed on bail with Georgia's extradition request to be examined on April 16, 2008. In the meantime, a Georgian court found him guilty of "large-scale extortion" and sentenced him to 11 years in prison in absentia on March 28, 2008.[22] On April 23, 2008, he was granted political asylum.[23] The French courts ultimately rejected the extradition request as well.[citation needed]
In September 2008
In October 2010, Okruashvili resigned his position in the Movement for United Georgia and shortly afterwards joined with the high-profile Georgia-based politicians — Sozar Subari, Levan Gachechiladze, and Erosi Kitsmarishvili to establish a new opposition party, the Georgian Party.
Return, imprisonment and release
In a phone interview with the Tbilisi-based Maestro TV on May 22, 2011, he said "On May 25 I will be in Georgia together with my people. I will not talk about details. On May 25 we will manage to put an end to Saakashvili's regime with minimal losses. If there is a great public support, the losses will be minimal. So, everybody should acknowledge the responsibility, which should be assumed before our country."[24]
After government change in Georgia Okruashvili, who faces multiple criminal charges in Georgia, returned from his French exile back to his home country. But despite a broad amnesty for political prisoners he was arrested upon arrival in the Tbilisi airport on November 20, 2012. Georgian Justice Minister,
After his release Okruashvili gave an interview to Reuters to define the reasons of his return to Georgia after several years of residence in France under political asylum. Okruashvili sayd Georgia's prosecution does not use him as "a golden witness" against President Saakashvili, as it was suggested in the Georgian media, and there was no big agreement with the new government about any issue. "My return (to the country) was just based on my decision and that`s it", Okruashvili said.[27]
See also
- List of people granted political asylum
References
- ^ Okruashvili Arrested[permanent dead link]. Civil Georgia. 2007-09-27.
- ^ New Opposition Party Launched. Civil Georgia. 2010-10-12
- ^ "Former Georgian Defence Minister Irakli Okruashvili given 5 years for 20 June violence". OC Media. 2020-04-13. Retrieved 2020-12-02.
- ^ "President Zurabishvili Pardons Gigi Ugulava, Irakli Okruashvili". 15 May 2020.
- Ukrayinska Pravda(8 March 2022)
- ^ a b Brian Rohan (September 14, 2008), Saakashvili "planned S. Ossetia invasion" : ex-minister, Reuters, retrieved 2008-09-14
- ^ "Civil.Ge | Okruashvili Reiterates S.Ossetia Reunification Deadline".
- ^ Georgian President Replaces Defense Minister Archived 2006-11-13 at the Wayback Machine VOA News
- ^ Georgia: Former Defense Minister Submits "Shock" Resignation Archived 2008-08-13 at the Wayback Machine EurasiaNet
- ^ Okruashvili Ups Ante on Former Allies Archived 2015-10-18 at the Wayback Machine - The Georgian Times
- ^ "Georgian Politicians, Public React To Saakashvili Accusations". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. April 8, 2008 – via www.rferl.org.
- ^ Georgia's Ex-Minister Assails President[dead link] - Forbes, Associated Press
- ^ Okruashvili Breaks Silence by Lashing Out at Saakashvili[permanent dead link]. Civil Georgia. 2007-09-25.
- ^ Former Defense Minister Detained In Georgia. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. September 27, 2007.
- ^ Opposition Vows More Protests[permanent dead link]. Civil Georgia. 2007-09-28.
- ^ Okruashvili May Be Freed on Bail after Pleading Guilty. Civil Georgia, 2007-10-08.
- ^ Okruashvili Hopes Guilty Plea will 'Mitigate Situation'. Civil Georgia, 2007-10-08.
- ^ "Firebrand Okruashvili's Televised Return Boosts Georgian Opposition". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. February 2, 2012 – via www.rferl.org.
- ^ Sidelined Okruashvili Back into Play. Civil Georgia. 2007-11-06.
- ^ Ruling Party Targets Tycoon in Drive to Confront Opposition. Civil Georgia. 2007-11-06.
- ^ Court Order for Okruashvili's Detention. Civil Georgia. 2007-11-14.
- ^ Okruashvili Jailed for 11 Years in Absentia, Barred from Polls. Civil Georgia. 2008-03-28.
- ^ France Grants Asylum to Okruashvili. Civil Georgia. April 23, 2008.
- ^ "Civil.Ge | Okruashvili: 'Army's Choice Will Decide Georgia's Fate'". old.civil.ge.
- ^ Okruashvili Arrested After Return to Georgia Civil Georgia, Tbilisi, 20 Nov. 2012.
- ^ Court Releases Ex-Defense Minister Okruashvili Civil Georgia, Tbilisi, 11 Jan. 2013.
- ^ Reuters interviews Irakli Okruashvili, 16 Jan. 2013.
External links
- Biography: Irakli Kobaevich Okruashvili, Kavkaz-uzel, January 14, 2013 (in Russian)