10 May 2017, 11:03
Georgian MIA refuses to prosecute Yuri Luzhkov
According to the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), the Criminal Code of Georgia does not allow prosecuting the former Mayor of Moscow for visiting Abkhazia and South Ossetia, in connection with the expiry of the period of limitations of the violation of the Law "On the Occupied Territories" committed by Yuri Luzhkov.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on May 7, it became known that Yuri Luzhkov came to Georgia together with his wife and the former head of one of the departments of the Moscow government. Public activists of Georgia express their indignation about the fact that no sanctions were imposed on Yuri Luzhkov in accordance with the Law "On the Occupied Territories" in force in the country.
The Georgian Law "On the Occupied Territories" provides for the special legal regime within the territory of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. According to the Law, foreign citizens who have visited Abkhazia and South Ossetia without the permission of Tbilisi officials are not allowed to enter the territory of Georgia for any purpose of stay. Being the Mayor of Moscow, Yuri Luzhkov visited Abkhazia and South Ossetia and provided active assistance to those regions.
According to Article 71 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, there is a six-year period of limitations for an offence (stay in the occupied territories with violation of the rules of entry) stipulated by Article 332-prima of the Criminal Code of Georgia. Meanwhile, according to the Georgian MIA, Yuri Luzhkov last visited those territories in 2010.
"Today, due to the period of limitations, the Ministry of Internal Affairs has been deprived of the legal capacity to initiate an investigation in connection with the above fact," reported an official from the Georgian MIA as quoted today by the agency "InterpressNews".
Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.
