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Ukraine refuses to extradite former Georgian president to Tbilisi

Ukraine’s Prosecutor’s Office says the request to extradite Saakashvili to Georgia is "politically motivated" and contradicts the European Convention on Human Rights

KIEV, April 1. /TASS/. Ukraine’s Prosecutor’s Office has refused to extradite former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili to Tbilisi, the prosecutor’s office press service said on Wednesday.

Saakashvili left Georgia in November 2013 several days before the inauguration of the current head of state, Georgy Margvelashvili. At home he is wanted for abuse of office, masterminding an armed attack against a legislator, and embezzlement of several million dollars of government money. Saakashvili dismisses the charges as "groundless and politicized."

Ukraine’s Prosecutor’s Office says the request to extradite Saakashvili to Georgia is "politically motivated" and contradicts the European Convention on Human Rights of 1950.

The office of Georgia’s chief prosecutor on February 17 said it had formally asked Ukraine to detain Saakashvili and extradite him to Georgia. Tbilisi said the Ukrainian side "refused to cooperate" in this matter.