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thuesday, 08 October , 2024
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Ministry of Justice of Georgia Hosts U.S. State Department Representatives

After 12 years of negotiations, the Hague Convention of October 25, 1980, on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction officially took effect between Georgia and the United States on October 1, 2024.

This convention enables the citizens of both nations to resolve cases of international child abduction through legal channels. Under the agreement, Georgia’s Ministry of Justice is designated as the central authority, while the U.S. State Department's Office of Children's Issues fulfills the same role for the United States.

During the visit, both parties shared their experiences in implementing the convention and discussed plans for future collaboration.

The U.S. delegation also visited the Tbilisi Public Service Hall, where they learned about Georgia's model for delivering state services, including birth registration, travel document preparation, property registration, and other services.

On the Georgian side, representatives from the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Internal Affairs, State Services Development Agency, State Care and Assistance Agency for Victims of Trafficking, Legal Aid Service, the Association of Mediators, and members of the judiciary participated in the meetings held from October 2-4.

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Strasbourg Court Confirms Davit Kezerashvili’s Guilt in Embezzling Georgian Army Funds, Rejects Claims of Political Persecution

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has issued its decision in the case of Davit Kezerashvili v. Georgia. At a briefing, Justice Minister Anri Okhanashvili discussed the ruling, which upheld the verdict against Kezerashvili.

“The Court concluded that, while serving as Defense Minister shortly before the August 2008 war, Davit Kezerashvili embezzled €5,060,000 (approximately 15 million GEL at today's exchange rate) intended for the Georgian army. It also determined there was no political persecution involved in his prosecution. The Supreme Court of Georgia's verdict finding Kezerashvili guilty was deemed well-founded, and no violation of the presumption of innocence was found,” Okhanashvili stated.

Okhanashvili outlined the fraudulent activities carried out by Kezerashvili:

"During his tenure as Defense Minister, Kezerashvili unlawfully signed a fictitious agreement with an offshore company in a single day to provide combat training for the Georgian army. This agreement bypassed the General Staff of the Defense Forces. In reality, no training occurred, and the €5,060,000 allocated for the Georgian army was deliberately misappropriated."

Anri Okhanashvili emphasized that the Court also dismissed Kezerashvili’s demand for €15,000 in moral damages. Kezerashvili, who enriched himself by defrauding the Georgian army, sought additional compensation for moral damage. The Strasbourg Court firmly rejected this claim. It confirmed the seriousness of Kezerashvili’s crime and upheld the Supreme Court of Georgia's ruling as lawful.

The Justice Minister congratulated the Georgian state and armed forces on their success in the European Court and acknowledged those who defended Georgia’s interests:


“I congratulate the Georgian state, army, and people on this significant victory. I extend my gratitude to the Ministry of Justice staff and the Prosecutor’s Office for their dedicated work. We now look forward to seeing how our European partners, particularly those who previously characterized Kezerashvili as a media advocate, respond to this decision affirming his guilt,” Okhanashvili remarked.