Former Georgian Defence Minister Okruashvili goes on hunger strike in prison

The former Georgian Defence Minister Irakli Okruashvili, who is accused of forming an illegal armed formation (IAF), went on hunger strike in prison, said his lawyer Zviad Kordzadze.

Okruashvili began his action in solidarity with those who had not been put on the list of 190 political prisoners, approved by the parliament, the "Interfax" reports.

Several persons, detained on the case of the former Defence Minister, are on hunger strike for several days. According to Zviad Kordzadze, Okruashvili demands to award the status of political prisoners to his colleagues, the "Georgia Online" reports.

In her turn, Eka Beseliya, the Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights, has noted that the status is granted by decision of the Parliament.

On March 28, 2008, court sentenced Irakli Okruashvili in absentia to 11 years in prison, having accused him of extorting shares of some company. On June 23, 2011, the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) announced the detention of eight persons, who had allegedly tried to create an IAF to support Okruashvili on his return to the country from Russia. June 27, 2011, Okruashvili was charged under Part 1, Article 223, of the Criminal Code: creation of or leading an IAF.

On November 20, the ex-minister, who had been granted political asylum in France, returned to Georgia in order to prove his innocence, but was put into the Gldani Prison.