TBILISI. March 11 (Interfax) - Dmitry Shashkin, former defense minister, minister for the enforcement of punishments, probation and legal assistance, and education minister of Georgia, who has returned from the U.S. to Tbilisi, denies his involvement in any illegal actions in the periods in which he worked in those posts.
Shashkin told reporters on Thursday the only problem experienced by Georgian prisons during his tenure as minister for the enforcement of punishments was that they were too crowded.
In this regard, Shashkin said the video of the torture of prisoners aired by some television channels in September 2012 had shocked him.
The former minister also denied any involvement in the equipment that was illegally installed for hidden surveillance in one of Georgia's prisons.
Shashkin said the prison where the equipment was found was built after he left his post as minister.
He also denied any involvement in the dismissal of teachers during his tenure as education minister, adding that decisions relating to dismissals are made by school administrations and he had no way of controlling decision made by more than 2,000 school principals.
Shashkin left Georgia almost immediately after the October 2012 parliamentary elections. He has been in the U.S. since that time. He says he had to leave the country in that period because he feared for the safety of his daughter, who was receiving threats. He also says he has health problems and needed to get treatment.
Shashkin also denied any involvement in any financial schemes during his tenure as defense minister.