Former Georgian Prime Minister's Trial Postponed

Ivane Merabishvili appears during a preliminary hearing of his case in court in Kutaisi in May.

The trial of Georgia's former prime minister, Ivane Merabishvili, has been postponed.

Merabishvili's lawyer, Giorgi Chiviashvili, told journalists on July 15 that the trial date has been moved from July 15 to August 23.

He said prosecutors requested additional time to submit new evidence in the case.

Merabishvili, who is secretary-general of President Mikheil Saakashvili's United National Movement party, was arrested in May and charged with abuse of power, embezzlement, bribing voters, and covering up a murder.

Merabishvili insists the charges are politically motivated.

Several associates of Saakashvili have been arrested and charged with wrongdoing since Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili's Georgian Dream coalition won parliamentary elections in October 2012.

Based on reporting by Apsny.ge and RFE/RL's Georgian Service