Georgian tycoon charged for offences against the state

Georgian tycoon Badri Patarkatsishvili, who ran against President Mikhail Saakashvili in last weekend’s election, has been charged with plotting a coup, and attempting to organise a terrorist attack.

Patarkatsishvili, who directed his campaign from self-imposed exile in London, is said to have offered a 100 million euro bribe to an interior ministry official to allege the election was rigged.

Their apparent telephone conversation was broadcast on Georgian TV. The tycoon owns his own television station in Georgia, in association with Rupert Murdoch. Imedi TV was put off-air during the state of emergency imposed before the election. Patarkatsishvili has previously accused the government of fabricating charges against him.

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