Former Georgian defense minister acquitted of torture charges
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 31 October 2013 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Former Georgian defense minister acquitted of torture charges, 31 October 2013, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/528b685c14.html [accessed 29 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
October 31, 2013
By RFE/RL's Georgian Service
Former Georgian Defense Minister Bacho Akhalaia
TBILISI – A Georgian court has acquitted a former defense minister of charges involving the torture and inhuman treatment of seven special forces soldiers.
Bacho Akhalaia, an ally of outgoing President Mikheil Saakashvili, and seven co-defenders were acquitted by the Tbilisi City court on October 31.
On October 28, the same court sentenced Akhalaia to nearly four years in prison for abuse of office for using excessive force in suppressing a 2006 prison riot in which seven inmates were killed.
The prison term was the first imposed on a Saakashvili ally, a number of whom are awaiting trial.
Akhalaia's lawyer said on October 30 that his client will ask Saakashvili for a pardon before he leaves office next month.
On October 27, Giorgi Margvelashvili, an ally of Saakashvili's rival, Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, won the presidential election.
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
