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Giorgadze Supporters on Trial for a While in Georgia
Twelve people went on trial yesterday in Tbilisi. They are accused of involvement in the plot by former Georgian minister of state security Igor Giorgadze to overthrow the government with the help of Russian special services. Giorgadze is now living in Russia and has given several interviews to central Russian media recently. He is wanted by the Georgian Prosecutor General for terrorist acts in Georgia in 1994 and 1995, including a attempt on the life of former president Eduard Shevardnadze.
Police netted 29 last September in a large-scale roundup of Giorgadze supporters. The main clue in the case was arms found in the cellar of the home of one of those supporters along with $50,000 allegedly to finance mass meetings. One of the arrestees, Anti-Soros movement leader Maiya Nikolaishvili, stated on first questioning that “leaders of the parties that make up the pro-Giorgadze bloc planned an armed coup d'etat in May 2005 during a meeting at the office of the Justice Party.” According to Nikolaishvili, opposition leader and Giorgadze's niece Maiya Topuria read a plan at that meeting that had been prepared by Giorgadze himself. The plan was to be put into action in October 2006. Nine other arrestees confirmed Nikolaishvili's statement.
Among those on trial are Topuria, Conservative Monarchist Party leader Temur Zhorzholiani and members of the Anti-Soros and Justice Parties, which are part of the Igor Giorgadze Bloc. They behaved themselves wildly in court, shouting that they are innocent, insulting the court and predicting “the dictatorship of George Soros” in Georgia. They face up to 5 years in prison. The session was cut short due to the absence of Nikolaishvili and is to resume on March 26. Nikolaishvili was released on $5500 bail. Media have reported that she is now in the United States and will not appear in court until the trial is declared closed to the public, a step that both the defense and prosecution support.
The defense team, which includes lawyers from the U.S., says that there is little evidence against their clients. Many are convinced that the defendants will be convicted, however. Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili is said to be very afraid of conspiracies, especially those by Giorgadze, and ready to use all the resources of the state against the defendants.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Mar. 20, 2007
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