Former Georgian Interior Ministry Official Released On Bail In Greece

The former director of the Georgian Interior Ministry’s department for constitutional security, Data Akhalaia, has been released on bail in Greece.

In March, the Tbilisi City Court sentenced Akhalaia to almost four years in jail in absentia for abuse of office in a case related to the beating of police officers in 2005.

Greek media reported in April that Akhalaia had been detained in the city of Patras for carrying fake identification papers.

Akhalaia's lawyer told the Imedi TV channel on June 2 that his client was released from custody in Greece after his family had at last managed to transfer 100,000 euros for bail.

Akhalaia's possible extradition to Georgia remains pending.

Akhalaia's brother, Bacho Akhalaia, remains in pretrial detention in Georgia on abuse-of-power charges.

With reporting by Imedi TV