Bacho Akhalaia

Bacho Akhalaia
Bacho Akhalaia in August 2011
Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia
In office
July 4, 2012 – September 20, 2012
PresidentMikheil Saakashvili
Preceded byVano Merabishvili
Succeeded byEkaterine Zguladze (acting)
Minister of Defense of Georgia
In office
August 27, 2009 – July 4, 2012
PresidentMikheil Saakashvili
Preceded byVasil Sikharulidze
Succeeded byDimitri Shashkin
Personal details
Born (1980-10-24) October 24, 1980 (age 44)
Zugdidi, Georgian SSR, USSR
SpouseAnna Nadareishvili

Bachana "Bacho" Akhalaia (Georgian: ბაჩანა "ბაჩო" ახალაია; born October 24, 1980, in Zugdidi) is a Georgian politician who was Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia from July 4, 2012, to September 20, 2012. He had previously served as Head of Penitentiary Department of Ministry of Justice of Georgia (2005–2008) and Minister of Defense (August 27, 2009 – July 4, 2012).

On September 20, 2012, amid protests against torture and rapes in Georgian prisons, the Ministry of Internal Affairs announced Akhalaia had resigned from office.[citation needed]