On 14 May, the Tbilisi City Court sent Irakli Okruashvili, former Georgian Defence Minister in 2004-2006, to custody. His preventive measure was changed from bail in the amount of 20,000 GEL (more than 280,000 hryvnias) to arrest.
Okruashvili was accused of failing to fulfil the requirements of the temporary investigation commission. He was summoned to give explanations to the commission in connection with the 2008 war between Georgia and Russia. The testimony was scheduled for 26 March 2025. However, Okruashvili refused to appear before the commission, which was set up by the pro-Russian power party Georgian Dream and intended to investigate the rule of its main political rival, the “national movement” then led by Mikheil Saakashvili. The investigation, according to Georgian political analysts, is being conducted because Georgian Dream wants to ban a party associated with Saakashvili.
“The National Movement and other opposition parties in Georgia do not recognise the legitimacy of the current government formed by the Georgian Dream.”
After Okruashvili refused to go to the commission’s meeting, he was charged under Article 349 of the Georgian Criminal Code, which provides for “failure to fulfil the request of the temporary investigative commission of the Georgian parliament.” Such actions are punishable by a fine or imprisonment for up to a year, or deprivation of the right to hold office or engage in activities for up to three years.
He was also summoned to the Tbilisi City Court in April to testify. The former Defence Minister went there and answered the questions of the investigative body in front of the justice of the peace. There the ex-minister was given a bail in the amount of 20 thousand GEL and forbidden to leave Georgia until the case was completed. The term for bail was 30 days – this term expired on 8 May.
As Irakli Okruashvili stated at the court hearing, he did not pay the bail.