764:, commented, that she shared the view that Okruashvili "was subjected to politically-motivated persecution by the authorities." "But it does not automatically mean that he is innocent in those criminal charges that he may face; it requires investigation," Tsulukiani told journalists. "There are number of criminal charges brought against him and the most recent one is related to setting up of illegal armed groups and that is related to the events of May, 2011 . It requires further probe and I think that Okruashvili returned in order to prove his truth." Irakli Okruashvili was released from a courtroom on January 11. His release was made possible after Okruashvili was cleared of bribe-taking and extortion charges during a hearing in the Court of Appeals on January 10 and after the Tbilisi City Court accepted on January 11 a motion from prosecutors to release Okruashvili from custody on GEL 15,000 bail. A trial into negligence will be continued later in the Tbilisi City Court.
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676:. He also said that his earlier accusations levelled against Saakashvili were not true and were aimed at gaining political dividends for himself and Badri Patarkatsishvili and at discrediting the President of Georgia. Some opposition leaders said Okruashvili's statement had been made under duress. Okruashvili declared, however, that he had decided to cooperate with the investigation in order to "mitigate situation".
767:
After his release
Okruashvili gave an interview to Reuters to define the reasons of his return to Georgia after several years of residence in France under political asylum. Okruashvili sayd Georgia's prosecution does not use him as "a golden witness" against President Saakashvili, as it was suggested
654:
Speculations about
Okruashvili's planned party had been circulating for a long time already and many commentators expected, what they called, "a war of compromising materials" in case of Okruashvili's political comeback. The presentation was preceded by the controversies over financial irregularities
31:
692:
from Munich, claiming that he had been forced to retract accusations against
President Saakashvili while being in jail. A Georgian prosecuting officer, however, rejected Okruashvili's allegations, while the senior members of the Parliament of Georgia for the ruling party described him "an instrument
755:
on May 22, 2011, he said "On May 25 I will be in
Georgia together with my people. I will not talk about details. On May 25 we will manage to put an end to Saakashvili's regime with minimal losses. If there is a great public support, the losses will be minimal. So, everybody should acknowledge the
759:
After government change in
Georgia Okruashvili, who faces multiple criminal charges in Georgia, returned from his French exile back to his home country. But despite a broad amnesty for political prisoners he was arrested upon arrival in the Tbilisi airport on November 20, 2012. Georgian Justice
727:
but had executed it poorly. While defence minister from 2004 to 2006 he and
Saakashvili worked together on military plans to retake South Ossetia and Abkhazia, saying "Abkhazia was our strategic priority, but we drew up military plans in 2005 for taking both Abkhazia and South Ossetia as well".
671:
On
October 8, 2007, in a video taped confession released by the General Prosecutor's Office, Okruashvili pleaded guilty to large-scale bribery through extortion and negligence while serving as minister and retracted his accusations against the president, winning release on bail of 10 million
700:
On
November 14, 2007, following a Prosecutor's Office request, a court in Tbilisi ruled that Okruashvili be returned to police custody pending investigation. In December 2007, he was arrested in Germany at the request of Georgia, but was later transferred to
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On
September 27, 2007, Okruashvili was detained on charges of extortion, money laundering, and abuse of office while Georgia's defense minister. On September 28, 2007, several opposition parties organized a peaceful mass rally in Okruashvili's support at the
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On
September 25, 2007, he announced the formation of the new opposition Movement for United Georgia and unleashed criticism on President Saakashvili, accusing him of corruption, incompetency and human rights violations. He also raised new concerns around
709:
request to be examined on April 16, 2008. In the meantime, a Georgian court found him guilty of "large-scale extortion" and sentenced him to 11 years in prison in absentia on March 28, 2008. On April 23, 2008, he was granted political
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After he pleaded guilty, Okruashvili was released. Okruashvili left Georgia around November 1, 2007. He subsequently said he was forced into exile; the government said he had asked to leave because of medical issues.
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in the Georgian media, and there was no big agreement with the new government about any issue. "My return (to the country) was just based on my decision and that`s it", Okruashvili said.
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In October 2010, Okruashvili resigned his position in the Movement for United Georgia and shortly afterwards joined with the high-profile Georgia-based politicians β
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Okruashvili was sentenced to five years in prison for allegedly participating in group violence in anti-government rallies organized in June 2019. However, President
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surrounding the party's new office and the arrest of Mikheil Kareli, Orkuashvili's close associate and governor of Shida Kartli, on the charges of corruption.
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In September 2007, Okruashvili staged a public comeback to Georgian politics, openly confronting Mikheil Saakashvili and creating the opposition party
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647:'s death, challenging the official investigation point of view and personally accused the Georgian president in planning the murder of businessman
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He served as the Prosecutor General from January 2004 until Saakashvili appointed him Interior Minister in June 2004 and moved him to the post of
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Okruashvili said on May 1, 2006, that he would resign if Georgia failed to restore control over breakaway South Ossetian by January 1, 2007.
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in December 2004. During his tenure as defence minister, Okruashvili was known for advocating military actions against the separatists in
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became the Minister of Defence. Okruashvili resigned as Minister for Economic Development on 17 November 2006.
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part) in November 2003 and established strong anti-corruption and anti-smuggling measures in the region.
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829:"Former Georgian Defence Minister Irakli Okruashvili given 5 years for 20 June violence"
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On November 10, 2006, Saakashvili appointed him Minister for Economic Development.
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Okruashvili served as the Deputy Minister of Justice from 2000 to 2001. He joined
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Releases Ex-Defense Minister Okruashvili Civil Georgia, Tbilisi, 11 Jan. 2013.
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1231:: Irakli Kobaevich Okruashvili, Kavkaz-uzel, January 14, 2013 (in Russian)
1173:"Civil.Ge | Okruashvili: 'Army's Choice Will Decide Georgia's Fate'"
915:"Civil.Ge | Okruashvili Reiterates S.Ossetia Reunification Deadline"
714:. The French courts ultimately rejected the extradition request as well.
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538:, together with other Georgian volunteers, in order to fight against the
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Arrested After Return to Georgia Civil Georgia, Tbilisi, 20 Nov. 2012.
1091:"Firebrand Okruashvili's Televised Return Boosts Georgian Opposition"
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Georgiaβs former defence minister comes to fight alongside Ukrainians
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30:
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reported Okruashvili had said that Saakashvili had long planned the
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562:. He graduated from Faculty of International Law and Relations at
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Pro-Ukraine foreign volunteers in the Russian invasion of Ukraine
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856:"President Zurabishvili Pardons Gigi Ugulava, Irakli Okruashvili"
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610:
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International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine personnel
989:"Georgian Politicians, Public React To Saakashvili Accusations"
702:
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On November 5, 2007, Okruashvili made a surprise appearance on
501:
496:, and abuse of office. In 2007 he left Georgia and was granted
1144:
Okruashvili Jailed for 11 Years in Absentia, Barred from Polls
705:, where a court ruled that he be freed on bail with Georgia's
756:
responsibility, which should be assumed before our country."
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Georgia: Former Defense Minister Submits "Shock" Resignation
891:
Saakashvili "planned S. Ossetia invasion" : ex-minister
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politician who had served on various important posts in the
1120:
Ruling Party Targets Tycoon in Drive to Confront Opposition
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to establish a new opposition party, the Georgian Party.
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Okruashvili Breaks Silence by Lashing Out at Saakashvili
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Okruashvili Hopes Guilty Plea will 'Mitigate Situation'
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Okruashvili May Be Freed on Bail after Pleading Guilty
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International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine
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86:Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development
1270:United National Movement (Georgia) politicians
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1097:. February 2, 2012 – via www.rferl.org.
1285:Expatriates from Georgia (country) in France
1216:interviews Irakli Okruashvili, 16 Jan. 2013.
928:Georgian President Replaces Defense Minister
751:In a phone interview with the Tbilisi-based
140:17 December 2004 β 10 November 2006
98:10 November 2006 β 17 November 2006
1034:Former Defense Minister Detained In Georgia
887:
995:. April 8, 2008 – via www.rferl.org.
940:
1275:Government ministers of Georgia (country)
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267:November 2003 β 14 January 2004
1132:Court Order for Okruashvili's Detention
1006:Georgia's Ex-Minister Assails President
778:List of people granted political asylum
534:stated that Okruashvili had arrived in
182:7 June 2004 β 17 December 2004
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224:14 January 2004 β 7 June 2004
966:Okruashvili Ups Ante on Former Allies
1160:France Grants Asylum to Okruashvili.
1108:Sidelined Okruashvili Back into Play
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170:Minister of the Interior of Georgia
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888:Brian Rohan (September 14, 2008),
14:
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566:. He then worked as an attorney.
747:Return, imprisonment and release
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597:(Sakrebulo) in 2002. After the
593:and was elected as a member of
550:Irakli Okruashvili was born in
1250:Jurists from Georgia (country)
1162:Civil Georgia. April 23, 2008.
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805:
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470:) (born 6 November 1973) is a
128:Minister of Defense of Georgia
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1305:Interior ministers of Georgia
1050:Opposition Vows More Protests
812:New Opposition Party Launched
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532:Ukrainian Ministry of Defence
286:2002 β November 2003
212:Prosecutor General of Georgia
1300:Economy ministers of Georgia
1280:People convicted in absentia
1134:. Civil Georgia. 2007-11-14.
1122:. Civil Georgia. 2007-11-06.
1110:. Civil Georgia. 2007-11-06.
1080:. Civil Georgia, 2007-10-08.
1068:. Civil Georgia, 2007-10-08.
7:
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516:in the new Georgian Party.
490:Movement for United Georgia
441:Russian invasion of Ukraine
369:Movement for United Georgia
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523:pardoned him, alongside
374:United National Movement
1265:People from Tskhinvali
725:2008 South Ossetia war
680:Expulsion from Georgia
649:Badri Patarkatsishvili
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1040:. September 27, 2007.
666:Parliament of Georgia
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530:On March 8, 2022 the
476:Government of Georgia
421:Years of service
274:Tbilisi City Assembly
796:Okruashvili Arrested
741:Erosi Kitsmarishvili
605:(to which breakaway
578:Irakli Okruashvili,
521:Salome Zourabichvili
514:Erosi Kitsmarishvili
79:position established
737:Levan Gachechiladze
587:Mikhail Saakashvili
527:, on May 15, 2020.
510:Levan Gachechiladze
483:Mikheil Saakashvili
436:Russo-Ukrainian War
293:Minister of Justice
16:Georgian politician
977:The Georgian Times
971:2015-10-18 at the
952:2008-08-13 at the
933:2006-11-13 at the
717:In September 2008
632:Davit Kezerashvili
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458:Irakli Okruashvili
364:Victorious Georgia
235:Nugzar Gabrichidze
205:Ivane Merabishvili
163:Davit Kezerashvili
44:Victorious Georgia
23:Irakli Okruashvili
873:Ukrayinska Pravda
556:South Ossetian AO
467:αα αααα αα₯α α£αα¨αααα
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1024:. 2007-09-25.
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603:Shida Kartli
584:
560:Georgian SSR
549:
529:
525:Gigi Ugulava
518:
506:Sozar Subari
487:
457:
456:
429:Battles/wars
424:2022βpresent
376:(until 2006)
350:Georgian SSR
300:
281:
262:
255:Shida Kartli
253:Governor of
242:Succeeded by
219:
200:Succeeded by
177:
158:Succeeded by
135:
116:Succeeded by
93:
78:
62:
51:
42:Chairman of
1245:1973 births
1190:Okruashvili
707:extradition
371:(2007β2010)
230:Preceded by
188:Preceded by
146:Preceded by
104:Preceded by
74:Preceded by
1239:Categories
956:EurasiaNet
901:2008-09-14
841:2020-12-02
784:References
760:Minister,
753:Maestro TV
552:Tskhinvali
386:Allegiance
342:Tskhinvali
325:1973-11-06
1229:Biography
480:President
305:2000β2001
301:In office
282:In office
263:In office
220:In office
178:In office
136:In office
94:In office
68:June 2019
53:Incumbent
969:Archived
950:Archived
937:VOA News
931:Archived
834:OC Media
772:See also
690:Imedi TV
472:Georgian
462:Georgian
1214:Reuters
896:Reuters
720:Reuters
611:de jure
536:Ukraine
398:Ukraine
291:Deputy
739:, and
712:asylum
703:France
659:Arrest
609:was a
502:France
478:under
464::
395:
1202:Court
66:
580:2005
512:and
354:USSR
319:Born
589:'s
500:in
1241::
1175:.
1146:.
1093:.
1052:.
1036:.
1020:.
991:.
975:-
894:,
880:^
871:,
831:.
814:.
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735:,
668:.
651:.
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558:,
554:,
542:.
508:,
352:,
348:,
344:,
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1179:.
917:.
844:.
460:(
323:(
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