MOSCOW, May 24 (RIA Novosti) - A Georgian opposition leader has no reason to fear for his safety in Russia even though Georgia has put him on the international wanted list, an aide to the politician said Wednesday.
In 1995, Igor Giorgadze, then Georgia's state security minister, fled the South Caucasus state after an assassination attempt on President Eduard Shevardnadze. The ruling authorities accused him of masterminding the attack and charged him with terrorism.
But Konstantin Deych said Giorgadze had no reason to fear arrest and deportation.
"As you know from the statements made by Russia's Deputy Prosecutor General Vladimir Kolesnikov and some [State Duma] deputies, Giorgadze cannot be detained on the Russian territory," he said.
Kolesnikov said Tuesday that Giorgadze would likely be granted political asylum in Russia if he requested it.
The aide called accusations against his boss ungrounded, and said Giorgadze was the only Georgian politician who was feared by incumbent President Mikheil Saakashvili.
Up to 800 members and supporters of the Justice party, which Giorgadze heads, staged a protest Tuesday outside a government building in Georgia's capital, Tbilisi, calling for the president's resignation.
Protesters accused Georgia's political leadership of failing to live up to its electoral pledges over the last two years, and also called for parliament to be dissolved and early presidential and parliamentary elections held.
Deych did not say whether Giorgadze would ask for political asylum in Russia, but said the move "would not violate [international] law or Interpol regulations."
The head of the Interpol branch in Georgia has said his agency would not interfere with any Russian decision on granting political asylum to Giorgadze.
"Interpol is not a political organization and cannot interfere with political decisions made by a country," he said.
