Interpol calls off search for Shevardnadze-era Security Minister
By Tea Mariamidze
Friday, July 22
The Chief Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia stated it would do its best to restore the search for Georgia’s former Security Minister, Igor Giorgadze, who was on the Interpol wanted list for organizing an assassination attempt of the then-President of Georgia, Eduard Shevardnadze on August 28 1995.
The Prosecutor’s Office issued a statement after the Interpol search was terminated on May 30 2016. The information was provided to the Georgian Interpol National Central Bureau by the General Secretariat of Interpol, according to which, due to the fact that Giorgadze was awarded the status of a refugee, the Interpol search was terminated.
According to the Georgian side, the corresponding Georgian structures were not informed or given the opportunity to present corresponding evidence and materials to Interpol, which would provide a basis for the continuation of the search for Igor Giorgadze.
“The General Secretariat of Interpol reviewed the above mentioned issue and made a corresponding decision without any communication with the Georgian side,” the statement of the Chief Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia reads.
The Prosecutor’s Office stated they would do their best to persuade Interpol to resume the search.
“Despite the above-mentioned circumstance, the Georgian Prosecutor’s Office, within the borders of its competency will take all necessary measures and will use all available capabilities to restore Interpol’s international search for Igor Giorgadze,” the statement reads.
According to Giorgadze’s lawyer, Gagi Mosiashvili, the existence of political persecution against his defendant is proved by the case materials.
“There was a political persecution against Giorgadz, which is proved by the materials, so Interpol made an objective decision and removed the search for him,” claimed Mosiashvili.
Igor Giorgadze was Minister of State Security between 1993–1995. He was accused of being involved in a failed assassination attempt against Georgia’s second President Eduard Shevardnadze on August 28 1995.
After the charges, Giorgadze was removed from his post. On 4 September, he left Georgia for Moscow.
Despite being abroad, Giorgadze attempted to run for the 2000 and 2004 Presidential elections, but on each occasion Georgia's Central Election Commission (CEC) refused to register him.
Giorgadze himself has always denied any involvement in the August 29 assassination attempt and accused the Georgian government of political prosecution.
It is also very interesting that during these twenty years since Giorgadze is on run wanted by Georgia, multiple contacts with journalists took place. He willingly gave interviews and it was no problem for the media to get hold of him. Whereas Interpol could not find his whereabouts.
