zurab adeishvili

Zurab Adeishvili. (Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–Former Georgian Justice Minister Zurab Adeishvili, who has been wanted for more than a year and is subject to an Interpol Red Alert, was recently spotted in Ukraine.

The Georgian Prosecutor General’s Office has now asked the Ukrainian government to detain Adeishvili and extradite him to Georgia.

Adeishvili has been wanted since November, 2013, for involvement in the staging of torture of prisoners, of trying to run an opposition-affiliated bank into bankruptcy, and for the cover-up of the murder of bank employee Sandro Girgvliani in 2006.

Beyond that, he has overseen much of the Saakashvili regime’s policies, not least the controversial justice reforms, and also served as chief prosecutor at one stage.

Deputy Interior Minister Archil Talakvadze told journalists on Wednesday that Georgia has sent the necessary documentation about the charges against Adeishvili to Ukraine. He is accused of several crimes in absentia.

Talakvadze said it is now a decision for Ukraine to make what will happen to the former justice minister. Georgia’s ambassador to Ukraine has confirmed that Adeishvili is in fact in Kiev, he added.

“We aren’t able to pressure Ukraine in this regards anyway. We will wait for them to make a decision,” he said, adding that the government will respect any decision Ukraine will make.

The new government of Ukraine appointed several officials from Mikheil Saakashvili’s government on high posts, including Health Minister Alexandre Kvitashvili and Ekaterine Zghuladze as Deputy Interior Minister.

Giorgi Vashadze, MP from the National Movement, on Wednesday told journalists that Adeishvili was invited to Ukraine to participate in consultations with the new government in conducting reforms, specifically against corruption. He also underlined that Adeishvili has political asylum in Hungary.