Reprisals in Georgia (ex-USSR):critic of government arrested

Ex-Defense Minister of Georgia Irakli Okruashvili said he had been personally ordered by the president Saakashvili to liquidate business tycoon Badri Patarkatsishvili. In a late-night TV interview, Okruashvili also made allegations which challenge the official version of events surrounding late PM Zurab Zhvania's death. He went on to speak about how he had planned to reclaim South Ossetia.

"Saakashvili told me that we should get rid of him [Patarkatsishvili] in the same way as happened to Rafik Hariri, the former Lebanese prime minister, who was killed in a car bomb attack," Okruashvili said.
Okruashvili also claimed that evidence surrounding the death of the late prime minister, Zurab Zhvania, was fabricated.

"I do not want to suggest that Zhvania was murdered," Okruashvili said. "But what I can say at this point is that Zhvania's corpse was actually brought into the flat where it was apparently discovered."

According to the official preliminary conclusions (the General Prosecutor's Office still hasn't published its final findings) the late PM died of carbon monoxide poisoning caused by a faulty gas heater. The heater had been improperly installed in the apartment where Zhvania's dead body was reportedly found on February 3, 2005 in Saburtalo district of the capital, Tbilisi. Along with Zhvania, Deputy Governor of Kvemo Kartli region Raul Usupov was also found dead in the same apartment, also reportedly killed by carbon monoxide poisoning.

Two days after his allegations Irakli Okruashvili was arrested. Offically he is suspected of extortion, money laundering, misuse of power and criminal negligence.

Eka Beselia, who is Okruashvili's lawyer and a party member, was given access to Okruashvili after the arrest.

"He says he is innocent," Beselia told reporters. "He also said he was a political prisoner."

Okruashvili, an ex-defense minister, was arrested in his newlly set up party headqourters in downtown Tbilisi.

"A group of men from the criminal police came into the party headquarters and took Irakli Okruashvili without giving any explanation," Tamar Rukhadze, Okruashvili's party spokesperson, Civil.Ge reporting.

"The police smashed down the door and broke in without giving any explanation," Nana Lezhava, a former journalist and member of Okruashvili's party, said.

"With this act President Saakashvili has actually confirmed that the allegations levelled by Okruashvili were true," Kakha Kukava, a lawmaker from the opposition Conservative Party, said.

"The criminal, murderer president and the government has unleashed massive repression," lawmaker Koka Guntsadze, also a member of Okruashvili's party, said. "We will establish a resistance movement."

"We should stand together against this government," Tina Khidasheli of the opposition Republican Party said. "The government should see that we are not afraid."

"By arresting Okruashvili, President Saakashvili has actually confirmed all those allegations levelled by Okruashvili," Koba Davitashvili, the leader of opposition Party of People, said. "Yes, Saakashvili is a killer and shouldn't be President."