15:00, 10 December 2012

Ex-head of MIA's Department of Constitutional Security arrested for 40 days

Oleg Melnikov, a former employee of the Department of Constitutional Security of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), detained on December 7 in Ukraine, has been arrested by the Darnitsa District Court of Kiev for the term of 40 days.

Melnikov, as well as Data Akhalaya, the former head of the above Department; his former deputy Soso Topuridze and another employee Geronty Alaniya, are accused of abuse of power and illegal deprivation of freedom. On December 4, the Tbilisi court chose a two-month pre-trial detention in absentia for all of them; and on December 5 they were put on the Interpol wanted list.

The IA "News-Georgia" reports referring to the Ukrainian police that while Melnikov is under arrest in Kiev, his extradition to Georgia will be decided.

In Georgia, at a judge's decision, a preliminary trial on the cases of the wanted persons was appointed for January 16, 2013, the "Georgia Online" reports.