Georgian police arrest ex-premier, former health minister

Former Prime Minister Ivane (Vano) Merabishvili and ex-healthcare minister Zurab Chiaberashvili, now governor of the Kakheti region, were detained on Tuesday in western city of Kutaisi.
 
"Ivane Merabishvili has been arrested. Charges against him envisage a prison term from 7 to 12 years," said prosecutor Ilia Jalagania.
 
The arrests came after Merabishvili and Chiaberashvili were questioned by prosecutors, who accused them of misusing 5.2 million lari (USD 3.2 million) in public funds on the former ruling party’s election campaign in 2012.
 
In addition, prosecutors allege that Merabishvili has illegally obtained a luxuriant property on the country’s Black Sea coast and used government funds to uphold it and hire personnel.
 
These were the latest in a series of arrests of former officials since Bidzina Ivanishvili won last year’s election and took over as prime minister.
 
All the detained former officials have been accused of abuse of power, corruption, illegal confinement or illegal obtaining of personal information.
 
The country’s President Mikhail Saakashvili has condemned the number of arrests as politically driven and warned that it will tarnish the country’s image.
 
A court is to determine within 48 hours after the arrest whether to free Chiaberashvili and Merabishvili or remand them in custody.