Irakli Okruashvili

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Irakli Okruashvili (second from right) in Ukraine.

Feature Stories

Georgia’s former defence minister goes to war

by Tata Shoshiashvili

•6 min read

A former Defence Minister of Georgia, Irakli Okruashvili is now fighting to defend Kyiv as part of Ukraine’s International Legion. Between his duties on the front, Okruashvili found time to speak with OC Media about the battle for Ukraine. ‘We must have been under intense fire for more than two days, and this time there were losses on both sides’, the 48-year-old former minister told OC Media during an interview by phone on 14 March. Speaking of the hardest fighting he had witnessed so far,

Clockwise from top left: Zurab Japaridze (Girchi), Shalva Natelashvili (Labour), Giorgi Vashadze (Strategy Aghmashenebeli), Levan Khabeishvili (UNM), Nika Melia (UNM), Elene Khoshtaria (European Georgia), Shalva Shavgulidze (Free Democrats), Irakli Okruashvili (Victorious Georgia). Official pictures.

2020 Georgian Parliamentary Elections

Georgian opposition groups finalise electoral pact for Tbilisi candidates

by OC Media

•4 min read

A group of Georgian opposition parties has announced a joint list of majoritarian candidates to compete in the electoral districts of Tbilisi in October’s parliamentary elections. While candidates will formally represent their own parties, the parties that have signed up have agreed not to field candidates opposing each other in a bid to mobilise voters against the ruling Georgian Dream party. Shalva Natelashvili, Labour Party leader and the group’s majoritarian candidate in Tbilisi’s Nadzal

Irakli Okruashvili. Photo: Mzia Saganelidze/RFE/RL.

2019 Gavrilov’s Night Protests

Former Georgian Defence Minister Irakli Okruashvili given 5 years for 20 June violence

by OC Media

•4 min read

Former Defence Minister of Georgia Irakli Okruashvili has been sentenced to five years in prison for ‘participating in group violence’ at an anti-government rally last June. Several opposition groups have claimed the verdict against him and others endanger a deal with the ruling Georgian Dream party to reform the electoral system together. On 20–21 June last year, protesters clashed with riot police throughout the night in Tbilisi as they attempted to occupy the parliament building. The ensuin

Protesters and police clashed for hours on the night of 20–21 June. Photo: Mariam Nikuradze/OC Media.

2019 Gavrilov’s Night Protests

Five more arrested over 20 June Tbilisi rally violence

by OC Media

•5 min read

After 40 days of street protests against police brutality, the authorities charge more people over an attempt to storm the parliament building. The Tbilisi City Court remanded five more people detained last week over ‘group violence’ in front of Parliament on 20 June into pre-trial detention. These latest arrests put the number of those placed in pre-trial detention at 18 and include prominent members of civil and political opposition to the ruling Georgian Dream party. The mass prot