TBILISI, DFWatch–A court in Georgia on Friday found the country’s former president Mikheil Saakashvili guilty of abuse of power and sentenced him to three years in jail. The sentence, which was passed in absentia, was initially four years, but the term was curtailed due to an amnesty law. […]
From left to right: Giga Bokeria, Joseph Daul, Gigi Ugulava, Davit Bakradze and Gigi Tsereteli. TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s prime minister gave an EU politician a lesson in the separation of powers in democracies on Tuesday, explaining that a government cannot interfere in decisions made by the courts. Giorgi Kvirikashvili, the head of government […]
The NGOs react to a decision by Kutaisi City Court to place three Free Zone activists in pre-trial detention. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Tbilisi-based non-governmental organizations (NGOs) warn against selective justice from authorities and call on the government to treat everyone equally. The NGOs’ express concern about the detention of the three activists from Tavisufali […]
President Giorgi Margvelashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili has rejected a call by his predecessor Mikheil Saakashvili that it is a test of ‘decency’ to pardon three former top government officials who are convicted of crimes committed while in office. Saakashvili, who is now […]
Pedro Agramunt. (Council of Europe.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A European human rights observer claims Georgia is using excessive pre-trial detention for political reasons against former government officials. The new report is written by Pedro Agramunt from the Spanish People’s Party, and published by […]
Vano Merabishvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Former Interior Minister and ally of Mikheil Saakashvil promises to take revenge for every official involved in the detention of former government officials. “I will personally punish them. I will hold each of them responsible personally.” Vano Merabishvili, […]
James Appathurai. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A visiting NATO envoy warns Georgia that if the prosecution of former officials is seen as being politically motivated, this will slow down the country’s integration with the alliance. James Appathurai said it is important not only to avoid […]
(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Supporters of Georgia’s former regime demonstrated outside the house of the prime minister on Sunday. Outraged passers-by confronted them, and several people were detained in the scuffle. The protesters demanded that the courts are freed from […]
Speaker of Parliament Davit Usupashvili admires Ivanishvili’s philanthropism. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The speaker of the Georgian parliament went on the offensive Thursday against former President Mikheil Saakashvili and in defense of the billionaire who brought together the current government coalition, Bidzina Ivanishvili. Speaker of Parliament […]
(Photo by the Prosecutor’s Office.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Three law experts are coming to Georgia to assist with the prosecution of former officials. Many former government officials have been put on trial since the change of government in 2012. Western leaders have expressed concern that the cases […]
Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–After the government Monday announced a ‘moratorium’ on prosecuting politicians, the National Movement criticizes it for misleading people by not fulfilling its promise. On Monday, Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili in a statement called on […]
Paul Goble is an American analyst and columnist. Almost two centuries ago, the Scottish poet Robert Burns wrote in an oft-cited verse “And would some Power the small gift give us/To see ourselves as others see us! /It would from many a blunder free us, /And foolish notion:/What airs in dress and gait would leave us, /And even devotion!” […]
President Mikheil Saakashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–President Mikheil Saakashvili has pardoned 248 prisoners, 170 of whom had their sentence stricken from their criminal record. 56 had their sentence reduced to half, while 5 received a lighter sentence. Among those pardoned are former government […]
There won’t be any political prosecutions in Georgia, says newly elected president Giorgi Margvelashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Giorgi Margvelashvili, who is to be the fourth president of Georgia after the inauguration on November 17, promises that there won’t be political prosecution in the country. Monday he appeared next to Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili at a post- […]
President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili. (Official photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A statement by the U.S Congress about defense cooperation with Georgia caused debate in the country on Saturday. Government officials claim the congress was misled by a lack of, or incorrect, information about current events, while their opponents claim […]
Prime Minister of Georgia, Bidzina Ivanishvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili claims the Washington Post is drawing conclusions based on information from President Mikheil Saakashvili’s lobbyists. The newly elected head of government demands an answer as to how the newspaper gets […]
The City Court in Tbilisi. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgian Young Lawyer’s Association (GYLA) claims that former government officials are being subject to pressure while in prison. Representative of GYLA visited seven former employees of the Ministry of Agriculture just after they were arrested […]
Speaker of Parliament Davit Usupashvili (left), Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili and Minister of Internal Affairs Irakli Gharibashvili. (DFWatch photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–In Georgia the Ivanishvili government will consider halting the prosecution of former government officials as part of an initiative by the prime minister to bring about reconciliation. But Speaker of Parliament Davit Usupashvili made it clear […]
Tbilisi, DFWatch–Georgia’s Speaker of Parliament on Sunday left for his first visit to the US amidst harsh criticism of the country’s new government from the Congress and US media. Davit Usupashvili, the speaker and the chairman of the Republican Party, […]
Chiora Taktakishvili, one of the activists who argue that the case against Bacho Akhalaia is politically motivated. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) Wednesday started a monitoring of the trials against former government officials in Georgia. According to the OSCE webpage, the monitoring started with the pretrial hearing of Bacho […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–A group of foreign experts is to monitor ongoing high profile criminal cases in Georgia. Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, who took the initiative, told journalists that President Mikheil Saakashvili has agreed to establishing the group. Another […]
Ex Interior Minister Bacho Akhalaia’s detention November 7, 2012. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch — Foreign diplomats in Tbilisi are concerned about the many speedy trials against former officials, saying the whole process looks like political revenge. The new government in Georgia has received seven thousand complaints from people who say they […]
