Georgian Soldier Detained in Kyiv Released
Vice-Colonel Giorgi Tsertsvadze, who was detained in Kyiv on January 15 on the basis of the Interpol red notice requested by Russia, was freed from pre-trial detention late Thursday.
The hearing of Tsertsvadze’s case was postponed by the decision of the Court of Appeals on January 26, and he was left in pre-trial detention. However, several hours later, he was freed after the intervention of the Ukraine’s Prosecutor’s Office.
After his release, Tsertsvadze gave a statement to the press, saying that Russia wants to detain people who have information about Georgia’s security.
"Another motive is that Russia wants to punish the people who actively participated in the fighting against Russia", he said.
Tsertsvadze, 47, was an employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs until 2012. A year later, he left the country for Ukraine. According to Georgian media, he participated in hostilities against Russia in the 1990s and in the 2008 Georgia-Russia war. He later took place in fighting in Ukraine’s Donbass region.
He was put on Interpol’s international wanted list on December 23, 2016 at Russia’s request, and was detained by Ukrainian law enforcers immediately after crossing the border into Ukraine this month.
Russia accuses Tsertsvadze of a murder in Sochi in 2003 and of illegal possession of arms, and demands his extradition.
Tsertsvadze’s defense lawyer argued that the accusations have been fabricated by Russian authorities for political reasons, and are connected to the soldier’s participation as a volunteer fighter in the war in Ukraine’s southeastern regions.
Georgia’s opposition United National Movement party (UNM) and parliamentary minority European Georgia party have alleged that Russia acquired information on Tsertsvadze either from the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) or the Justice Ministry of Georgia.
They accuse the government of indifference to the case, and are calling on the diplomatic corps to show more interest.
Georgia’s Prosecutor’s Office has responded to the release of Tsertsvadze in a statement. According to the statement, extradition proceedings against Tserstvadze will be concluded within the next few days, implying that some procedural activities and formal considerations remain.
“The Chief Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia will continue collaborating with the Ukrainian colleagues until extradition proceedings against Giorgi Tserstvadze end in his favor,” the statement reads.
Although Tsertsvadze was released from pre-trial detention, his extradition procedures are still ongoing. He cannot leave Ukraine for forty days, or until the process is over.
by Thea Morrison