Former Justice Minister Zurab Adeishvili Named Head of Ukraine's International Police Cooperation
By Messenger Staff
Thursday, April 9, 2026
Zurab Adeishvili, who previously served as Georgia's prosecutor general and justice minister, has been appointed Director of the Department of International Police Cooperation within the National Police of Ukraine. The appointment, confirmed on April 8, places Adeishvili at the helm of Ukraine's liaison efforts with Interpol and Europol.
Adeishvili was a key figure in the United National Movement government under former President Mikheil Saakashvili. He served as prosecutor general from 2004 to 2008 and as minister of justice from 2008 to 2012. He left Georgia immediately following the 2012 parliamentary elections and has since lived in exile.
Adeishvili is currently wanted by Georgian authorities and has been convicted in absentia in several high-profile criminal cases. These include a six-year sentence related to the assault of former MP Koba Davitashvili and other charges involving the illegal closure of Iberia TV and the 2007 raid on Imedi TV.
While the Georgian government has repeatedly sought his extradition, Adeishvili has maintained that the charges are politically motivated. In 2013, Interpol issued a red notice for his arrest at Georgia's request, but the notice was canceled in 2015 after he was reportedly granted refugee status in Europe.
Adeishvili has built a significant career in Ukraine since the Maidan revolution. Before this latest appointment, he served as a senior advisor to the Ukrainian Prosecutor General, where he led a team focused on documenting evidence of Russian war crimes.
In his new role, Adeishvili will oversee the coordination of international tools in criminal investigations and the search for individuals wanted on Ukrainian territory. Former President Saakashvili, who remains imprisoned in Georgia, commented on the appointment via social media, noting that Adeishvili's role would involve the detention and extradition of criminals operating in Ukraine.
The Georgian government has expressed ongoing concern over European and Ukrainian authorities hosting Adeishvili. As recently as 2024, Georgia protested his presence at official meetings in Berlin and Brussels, where he traveled as part of the Ukrainian delegation. Georgian Dream officials have characterized the continued high-level employment of wanted former officials as a "not friendly step" that complicates bilateral relations.
