Georgian Parliament Speaker slams UK decision to sanction Georgian judges on whispers, while sheltering fugitive David Kezerashvili

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Thursday criticised the UK Government for imposing sanctions on Georgian judges based on “assumptions”, while allowing convicted and wanted individuals to move freely in London.

In a social media message, Papuasvili noted that while the UK Government, under the Labour Party, was considering sanctions against Georgian judges based on mere suspicions, David Kezerashvili, a former official convicted of corruption and currently wanted by Georgian authorities, was residing freely in London.

“While, by their own admission, the British Labour Party Government sanctions Georgian judges based solely on suspicions and assumptions, David Kezerashvili, convicted of a proven crime of corruption and currently wanted, freely moves around London”, the Speaker said.

Despite the lack of specific evidence, the United Kingdom Government on Wednesday imposed sanctions on Levan Murusidze, a member of Georgia’s High Council of Justice and a judge at the Tbilisi Court of Appeals, and Mikheil Chinchaladze, the Chair of the Tbilisi Court of Appeals.

The official statement cites “reasonable grounds to suspect” their involvement in serious corruption.