Former Georgian leaders get harsher charges over assault on lawmaker
TBILISI. Nov 10 (Interfax) - Former President Mikheil Saakashvili, ex-Prime Minister Vano Merabishvili and two former senior Interior Ministry officials have had new and more serious charges slapped on them in connection with a violent assault on a parliamentary deputy in 2005.
The Chief Prosecutor's Office said in a statement that it had now charged Saakashvili and Merabishvili, who was interior minister when the assault took place, with "organization of infliction of severe injury." Previously they had been charged with abuse of office with the use of violent means.
Saakashvili and Merabishvili, who have charges on several counts, would face prison terms of up to 14 years if convicted.
They are accused of organizing the attack on Valeri Gelashvili in central Tbilisi on July 14, 2005. The prosecution claims that Interior Ministry officials Erekle Kodua and Gia Siradze directly oversaw the assault.
The attack was perpetrated several months after the publication of a story in Georgian media that cited Gelashvili as accusing Saakashvili of unlawfully taking hold of his private property and of an immoral lifestyle.
Gelashvili was admitted to the hospital with serious injuries after several men wearing masks beat him up.
