Father-in-law of future Georgian interior minister released from prison
TBILISI. Oct 9 (Interfax) - Tamaz Tamazashvili, a former chief of the Kakheti province police department in Georgia, who was arrested for illegal storage of weapons a year ago and sentenced to 3.5 years in prison, will be freed on October 10.
"Tamazashvili and the prosecutor's office have reached a procedural agreement, based on which he will be released early," lawyer Shalva Tadumadze said.
"After the political situation in Georgia changed, I decided to try to file a request with the prosecution authorities on releasing my client early, and the prosecutors accommodated us," he said.
Some believe Tamazashvili was arrested after openly declaring his support for the then opposition coalition Georgian Dream. Bidzina Ivanishvili, the coalition founder and leader, has said repeatedly that Tamazashvili's arrest was politically motivated and that the weapons had been planted in his house.
Ivanishvili also said several months ago that, when his coalition won the parliamentary elections, he would release Tamazashvili and appoint him interior minister. However, it was reported on Monday that Tamazashvili's son-in-law Irakly Garibashvili would be appointed interior minister instead.