Russia’s powerful federal Investigative Committee said on February 14 it had filed criminal charges against Givi Targamadze, a Georgian lawmaker from President Saakashvili’s UNM party, for allegedly conspiring with Russian opposition activists in plotting riots in Moscow last year.
The Investigative Committee said that charges were filed under the first part of article 30 of the Russian criminal code, which involves “crime preparation” and first part of article 212 of the same code, involving “organizing mass riots, accompanied by violence”, which carries a prison term from four to ten years.
“Today the investigation declared Targamadze wanted,” Russia’s Investigative Committee said in a statement on February 14. “Investigators will file a motion to the court requesting his arrest in absentia.”
As a parliamentarian, Targamadze enjoys with legislative immunity. Georgian law bans detention of a lawmaker without Parliament’s approval.
Russia’s Investigative Committee said on December 13, 2012 that it possessed evidence “confirming” that MP Targamadze was “not only financing the Russian opposition, but also had concrete role in organizing mass disorders” on Moscow’s Bolotnaya Square in May, 2012. Targamadze at the time was the chairman of parliamentary committee for defense and security.
