Bitsadze, ex-boss of Frontier Police, convicted in Georgia, found in Austria

Georgian journalists found General Badri Bitsadze, former Deputy Interior Minister of Georgia, who was sentenced in absentia at home to 5.5 years of imprisonment, in Vienna.

The Georgian TV Company "Rustavi-2" showed footage of former General Public Prosecutor and former Head of the Frontier Police Bitsadze walking along streets of Austrian capital. When asked by a female journalist about his place of residence, Bitsadze refused to answer and escaped from reporters.

According to "Rustavi-2", Bitsadze's wife, the former Speaker of the Georgian Parliament and the leader of the oppositional "Democratic Movement" Nino Burdjanadze, is also in Vienna. Reporters found Bitsadze, when the spouses met in Vienna.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that earlier Burdjanadze had stated that her husband was in one of European countries waiting for political asylum.

"I already don't mention that the trial was conducted with multiple violations. We were in fact deprived of the right to defence. It was all done to discredit my family and to deprive Badri Bitsadze of a chance to engage in political activity. The authorities know that he is a very respected man, a leader by nature. They made everything to somehow neutralize him," the wife said after the trial.

Let us remind you that Badri Bitsadze had been accused of organizing a group attack on policemen during dispersal of the opposition rally in Tbilisi in Rustaveli Avenue at night on May 26. On that day it became known that two policemen were lost. Initially, the court released Bitsadze on bail, but later changed it to arrest. The trial began on July 29 at the Tbilisi City Court. The sentence was handed down on August 19.

Bitsadze was found guilty on Part 2, Article 353, of the Criminal Code of Georgia "Confrontation, threat or violence against defenders of public order or other officials, carried out by a group".

Currently, Badri Bitsadze is on the search list.