Chief Prosecutor Vows All Efforts to Have Interpol ‘Red Notice’ for Saakashvili
The Georgian Prosecutor’s Office will spare no effort to convince Interpol to issue so called ‘red notice’ and put ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili in its wanted list, chief prosecutor Giorgi Badashvili said.
Saakashvili, who is wanted by the Georgian authorities, faces multiple criminal charges, which the ex-president denies as politically motivated.
Georgian prosecutor’s office first announced about seeking Interpol red notice for Saakashvili in late August.
“We will do everything in order to have red notice issued for Saakashvili,” Badashvili said in an interview with the Georgian weekly newspaper, Kviris Palitra, which was posted on its website on December 29.
Interpol uses red notices to notify its member states that an arrest warrant has been issued for an individual with a view to his or her arrest and extradition. But Interpol cannot demand individual nations make an arrest based on issued red notices.
In July, 2014 Saakashvili was charged with exceeding official authorities in connection with the break up of anti-government protests on November 7, 2007 and raid on and “seizure” of Imedi TV. Court ordered pre-trial detention for Saakashvili in absentia on August 2 in connection to these charges.
Additional charges of exceeding official powers were filed against him in early August in which the prosecution claims Saakashvili ordered beating up of an opposition lawmaker in 2005.
Also in August prosecutor’s office filed new criminal charges against Saakashvili, accusing him of misspending GEL 8.83 million of public funds between September, 2009 and February, 2013.
In November Saakashvili was formally charged with conspiring with other former senior officials to obstruct justice in a high-profile murder case of Sandro Girgvliani in 2006.
In the interview with Kviris Palitra, chief prosecutor Giorgi Badashvili denied allegations of politically motivated prosecution of former government officials.
“Any political motive is ruled out in our activities,” he said.
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