Kyiv City Prosecutor’s Office terminated on January 26 the pre-trial detention of former Georgian serviceman Giorgi Tsertsvadze, who is on Interpol’s wanted list on murder charges upon the Russian authorities’ request and whose detention by the Ukrainian authorities drew a wide response both in Georgia and Ukraine.
“Based on the information provided by the Georgian side, it was established that the individual was involved in matters important for security and territorial integrity of Georgia, and that his extradition to the Russian Federation might negatively affect the state interests of Georgia. Moreover, it was confirmed that Giorgi Tsertsvadze participated in combat operations on the side of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in eastern Ukraine,” the Ukrainian Prosecutor’s Office wrote on January 27.
According to the January 22 news report of Tbilisi-based Rustavi 2 television channel, Vice Colonel Giorgi Tsertsvadze, former Georgian serviceman and veteran of 1992-1993 Abkhazia and 2008 Russia-Georgia wars, was detained by the Ukrainian authorities on January 15 at Kyiv’s Zhulyany Airport, where he travelled from Georgia. According to the same report, Tsertsvadze was put on Interpol’s Red Notice by the Russian authorities on December 23, 2016 on charges of alleged murder committed in Russia thirteen years ago.
Giorgi Tsertsvadze’s lawyer Kseniya Prokonova told Rustavi 2 journalist that the files that Russia submitted to Ukraine, contained Tsertsvadze’s personal information, which according to her, would not have been possible without Moscow’s cooperation with the Georgian authorities. She denied the murder allegations as fabricated and accused Moscow of wanting to “persecute and kill” the 2008 Russia-Georgia war participants. Prokonova also blamed the Georgian border officers for not notifying Tsertsvadze on the Interpol’s warrant against him.
Tsertsvadze’s arrest prompted a public outcry both in Georgia and Ukraine.
The European Georgia issued a letter to the Ukrainian Government on January 23 requesting Tsertsvadze’s release on their personal guarantee and urging them not to extradite the former Georgian serviceman. The European Georgia MPs accused the Georgian authorities of handing over Tsertsvadze’s personal details to Russia and requested launching criminal proceedings on the matter. They also invited the Interior Minister to the parliament to answer questions on Tsertvadze’s case.
United National Movement (UNM), which organized a demonstration on January 24 in front of the Interior Ministry, accused the Georgian Government of “betraying” Vice Colonel Tsertsvadze for not informing him of Russia’s Interpol notice and filed an application to the Prosecutor’s Office requesting launch of criminal proceedings under article 319 of the criminal code, which involves assistance to foreign country or organization in activities intended against the state interests of Georgia.
Mikheil Saakashvili, former Georgian President, issued a statement on January 24, blaming the Georgian Government of passing the personal details of Tsertsvadze to the Russian Federation, that “allowed the Russians to accuse him of fabricated murder case,” and called on the Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to “immediately interfere” and “prevent the government from disgrace.”
Mamuka Mamulashvili, commander of the Georgian National Legion, the group of Georgian citizens fighting on the side of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, confirmed that Tsertsvadze fought in their unit and issued an ultimatum to the Ukrainian Government on January 25 that if Kyiv extradited Tsertsvadze, the Georgian National Legion would leave the country.
The Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia released a statement on the matter on January 24, saying that it “provided Ukrainian colleagues with all relevant information about Giorgi Tsertsvadze” and that it “explained the inadvisability” of Tsertsvadze’s extradition to the Russian Federation on the grounds that it would “violate his fundamental rights.”
Commenting on the issue on January 25, Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili stated that the country would not extradite it citizens to other countries, “especially to the one with military bases in our country.” “Over the past two days, Georgia’s Chief Prosecutor Irakli Shotadze has been in touch with Ukraine’s Chief Prosecutor, and we certainly hope that the case will be closed without Tsertsvadze’s extradition to Russia,” he added.
He also accused “the opponents” and “their television station, their partner televisions, and a part of the NGO sector” of “distracting” the government from its agenda and of wanting to keep the government constantly “proving that it is not ruining the country.”
Despite reports that Tsertsvadze would be released from courtroom, on January 26, the Appeals Court of Kyiv postponed the hearing on Giorgi Tsertsvadze’s case until February 3 on the grounds that the Solomensky district court, which put him to pretrial detention, failed to submit case-related files. Tsertsvadze was however, released late on January 26, when Kyiv City Prosecutor’s Office cancelled the request for Tsertsvadze’s pre-trial detention.
The Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia said in its late-night statement on January 26 that the Georgian authorities would “continue cooperation” with Ukraine until the case “ends in Tsertsvadze’s favor.” “According to the information provided [by the Ukrainian authorities], extradition proceedings against Giorgi Tsertsvadze will be concluded within next few days,” the statement added.