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Georgia: Fresh wave of arrests of former officials | Georgia: Fresh wave of arrests of former officials |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Georgian authorities have arrested a further nine former government officials, accusing them of abusing their power while in office. | Georgian authorities have arrested a further nine former government officials, accusing them of abusing their power while in office. |
All the officials worked at the interior ministry under President Mikheil Saakashvili, whose party was ousted from power last month. | |
Mr Saakashvili says politicians from his administration are now being persecuted by the new authorities. | Mr Saakashvili says politicians from his administration are now being persecuted by the new authorities. |
The ex-defence minister has been charged with torturing army personnel. | The ex-defence minister has been charged with torturing army personnel. |
The charges relate to an incident in February 2010, when Bacho Akhalaia allegedly ordered 17 servicemen to be locked up and abused. | The charges relate to an incident in February 2010, when Bacho Akhalaia allegedly ordered 17 servicemen to be locked up and abused. |
'Political persecution' | 'Political persecution' |
Mr Akhalaia left his post in September, ahead of the polls, amid a prisoner abuse scandal. | Mr Akhalaia left his post in September, ahead of the polls, amid a prisoner abuse scandal. |
Currently being held in pre-trial detention, he says the charges against him are politically motivated. | Currently being held in pre-trial detention, he says the charges against him are politically motivated. |
"Former senior officials from the interior ministry are suspected of illegally obtaining personal information, including financial and commercial, with computers," Justice Minister Tea Tsulukiani told reporters, Reuters reports. | "Former senior officials from the interior ministry are suspected of illegally obtaining personal information, including financial and commercial, with computers," Justice Minister Tea Tsulukiani told reporters, Reuters reports. |
Lawyers for the nine detainees said they had been charged with abuse of power and illegal confinement. | Lawyers for the nine detainees said they had been charged with abuse of power and illegal confinement. |
The BBC's Damien McGuinness, in Tbilisi, says that Georgia was widely praised after October's elections for ensuring the first peaceful transition of power in the country's post-Soviet history. Mr Saakashvili is expected to step down in October 2013. | |
But tensions between the ousted government and the country's new leadership have been mounting over the past week. | But tensions between the ousted government and the country's new leadership have been mounting over the past week. |
After a dirty election campaign, our correspondent adds, Mr Saakashvili's party is accused of all kinds of abuses while in power: ranging from allegedly imprisoning critics unfairly to confiscating funds from the businesses of political opponents. | After a dirty election campaign, our correspondent adds, Mr Saakashvili's party is accused of all kinds of abuses while in power: ranging from allegedly imprisoning critics unfairly to confiscating funds from the businesses of political opponents. |
The mayor of Tbilisi, whose deputy was arrested, has condemned the move as political persecution, accusing the new government of becoming a "dictatorship". | The mayor of Tbilisi, whose deputy was arrested, has condemned the move as political persecution, accusing the new government of becoming a "dictatorship". |
But Georgia's new Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, whose six-party coalition unexpectedly swept to power in October's elections, says it is about restoring justice, after years of authoritarian behaviour by the former authorities. | But Georgia's new Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, whose six-party coalition unexpectedly swept to power in October's elections, says it is about restoring justice, after years of authoritarian behaviour by the former authorities. |
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