Eight arrested, two declared wanted for murder of Georgian Iraq war veteran under UNM gov’t

Eight former law enforcement officials have been arrested and two declared wanted in a high-profile murder of Georgian servicemember Roin Shavadze in 2008, a participant of the  Russia-Georgia 2008 war, Iraq war veteran and a recipient of Georgian and US awards for good service, the Georgian Prosecutor General’s Office said on Friday. 

The European Court of Human Rights ruled in 2020 the Georgian Government had violated the right to life to Shavadze, who was tortured and murdered in August 2008, after his return from the Russia-Georgia war, in western Georgia, the body said, which had been obliged by the ruling to ensure an “effective investigation” into the case. 

The body said the former UNM Government was accusing Shavadze of cooperating with Russia “without having any evidence”, and planted drugs on him to “justify” his murder, adding “no investigation” had been launched for spying for Russia. 

The former UNM officials claimed Shavadze had attempted to escape during his arrest in Batumi, western Georgia, on August 16, 2008, and the law enforcement were “forced” to shoot him, with the investigation finding the version “fake”, adding Shavadze suffered 40 gunshots and a trace of torture.