Georgia reduces ex-defence minister’s prison term

Georgia’s Court of Appeals has approved a plea agreement in the case of former Defence Minister Juansher Burchuladze, reducing his prison sentence from 10 years to five years.

Under the ruling, Burchuladze will serve three years in prison, while the remaining two years have been suspended, Caliber.Az reports, citing Georgian media.

Burchuladze was also fined 1 million lari ($380,000), while his property in Georgia and abroad, including a house in Spain, was ordered confiscated.

His brother-in-law, Vasil Mkheidze, and former Deputy Defence Minister Giorgi Khaindrava were each sentenced to four years and two months. They will serve one year and two months in prison, with the remainder suspended. Both were also fined 100,000 lari ($38,000). Mkheidze is expected to be released within the next few days.

According to the lawyer, the total value of the confiscated property and the fines imposed on the defendants is several times higher than the amount of damage alleged by the state, which it estimates at 1.4 million lari ($540,000).

By Vafa Guliyeva