US move aims at gaining influence in Georgian court, its discreditation – sanctioned judge

It is very sad, but I think that this is aimed at gaining influence in the court and completely discrediting it, Valerian Tsertsvadze, the former chairman of the Tbilisi Court of Appeal, who was on Wednesday sanctioned by the US for “significant corruption”, said on Thursday. 

 

“I categorically disagree with the allegations. It has been 6 years since I left the judiciary and have not taken any other state position, therefore referring to me as a life-long judge is clearly a deliberate distortion of the facts. This directly indicates that this decision was made on the basis of absolutely false and unsubstantiated information”, Tsertsvadze said. 

 

The visa restrictions have been imposed on Mikheil Chinchaladze, Levan Murusidze, Irakli Shengelia and Valerian Tsertsvadze for their alleged “involvement in significant corruption”, and “abusing their positions as court chairmen and members of Georgia’s High Council of Justice, undermining the rule of law and the public’s faith in Georgia’s judicial system”.