Alan Parastaev (Georgian: ალან ფარასტაევი; born 5 July 1951; death 16 March 2023)[1] is an ethnic Ossetian jurist and politician who had served in the government of South Ossetia from 1992 to 2005. He was arrested by the South Ossetian authorities in 2006, but escaped to the Georgian-controlled territory in 2008.[2] Since then Parastaev has worked in the government of Georgia.
Career
editBorn in Tskhinvali, South Ossetian AO, Georgian SSR, Parastaev graduated from the North Ossetian State University with a degree in law in 1981 and worked as a judge in South Ossetia's Java District from 1987 to 1992. He worked in the de facto government in Tskhinvali, being Chairman of the Supreme Court (1992–1994), Minister of Internal Affairs (1994–1998), Minister of Justice (1998–2002) and again Chairman of the Supreme Court (2002–2005).[1][2]
In November 2006, he was arrested[3] and sentenced to an 18-year prison term for allegedly plotting the assassination of Eduard Kokoity.[2] His family tried to apply to the European Court of Human Rights and reported that Parastaev had been mistreated in prison and beaten "almost to death".[4]
Parastaev escaped to Georgian-controlled territory after prison authorities set inmates free at the start of the August 2008 war.[2] In a February 2009 interview with the Georgian Imedi TV, Parastaev said that Kokoity had organized a series of terrorist attacks and ordered murders for which he blamed Georgia.[5]
Since 2009, Parastaev has been serving as Deputy Minister in the newly created Ministry for Penitentiary, Probation and Legal Assistance Issues of Georgia.[1]
Prior to his defection, Parastaev worked on the committee to draft a new Constitution of South Ossetia.[6]
Died March 16, 2023.
References
edit- ^ a b c "Alan Parastaev". Ministry of Corrections and Legal Assistance of Georgia. Archived from the original on 2012-05-30. Retrieved 2012-06-10.
- ^ a b c d Rimple, Paul South Ossetia Diary: Tskhinvali Residents who Fled to Georgia Left in Limbo Archived 2010-11-30 at the Wayback Machine. April 17, 2009. Eursasia.Net
- ^ (in Russian) Арестован бывший председатель Верховного суда Южной Осетии Алан Парастаев. Regnum.Ru, 11 November 2006
- ^ (in Russian) Южно-остинский узник совести Алан Парастаев при смерти Archived 2010-01-29 at the Wayback Machine. Движение "За Права Человека". 7 April 2008
- ^ (in Russian) Бывший глава МВД Южной Осетии обвинил Эдуарда Кокойты в терроризме. Lenta.ru. February 23, 2009
- ^ "Constitution of South Ossetia must clearly define the main priorities of the state development, - Zhanna Zasseeva". State Information Agency. Retrieved 1 April 2024.