Georgian authorities accused of cooperating with Russia

Georgian law-enforcement agencies have been accused of cooperating with Russia. The matter concerns, Gia Tsertsvadze, former Georgian military, arrested by the Ukrainian law-enforcers in Kyiv, on January 15, on the Russian side’s demand.

Former SWAT officer was voluntarily involved in the anti-terrorist operation in Ukraine.

According to Rustavi 2 TV, the case materials provided to Russia by the Georgian side include Gia Tsertsvadze’ personal data that are available only in the Georgian government’s database.

Gia Tsertsvadze has been allegedly wanted by the Russian authorities for a murder committed in 2003. However, he was put on the international wanted persons’ list only on December 23, 2016, i.e. 13 years later.

The arrestee’s lawyers and family members claim, Russia has launched a new season of hunt against the August 2008 war participants and Georgian high-rank officials have been acting as its allies.

“He participated in numerous special operations. Russia is now persecuting all those, who were engaged in the August war. Russia aims to put them out of its way. The case materials include some documents that Russia could get only from Georgia. Despite the fact that the matter concern Georgian national, the Border Police and possibly some other law-enforcement agencies are apparently still cooperating with the Russian side.” Ksenya Prokonova, Gia Tsertsvadze’s lawyer, told Rustavi 2 TV’s ‘P.S.’ program.

According to the TV channel, Moscow got hold of the data stored in the Georgian Justice and Interior Ministries’ database, including the data of all passports ever issued to Tsertsvadze in Georgia, as well as the exhaustive information on the countries that Georgian serviceman ever crossed into.

Georgian Interior Ministry has not commented on the aforesaid report.

Georgian serviceman’s support campaign has been launched on social media after there came reports that he had been arrested on Russia’s demand and was serving a sentence in jail.

Today, the United National Movement (UNM) has called on foreign diplomats to use all available diplomatic channels and prevent Tsertsvadze’s extradition to Russia.

Gia Tsertsvadze is now in Kyiv prison, awaiting the court judgment.