German Court Extends Detention of Georgian Ex-Minister – Georgian Agency

Text of report by private Georgian news agency Kavkas-Press

Tbilisi, 5 January: A German court has extended for another three weeks the detention of former Georgian Defence Minister Irakli Okruashvili.

Okruashvili’s lawyer, Eka Beselia, told Kavkas-Press that the period of detention ended on 5 January. The question of Okruashvili’s request to the French authorities for political asylum was due to be decided on Saturday [5 January].

The request was sent to France because it was this country’s embassy that issued the visa with which Okruashvili left Georgia. This question should be decided by the French migration service.

Beselia said that no information has been received from the French side on whether or not Okruashvili has been given political asylum.

Okruashvili was arrested by a German extradition court at the request of the Georgian side.

The German court will rule on Okruashvili’s extradition after the issue of giving him political asylum has been decided.

Originally published by Kavkas-Press, Tbilisi, in Russian 1353 5 Jan 08.

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