Charges filed against challenger

Georgian authorities formally charged a billionaire businessman who was a candidate in this month’s election with plotting to overthrow the government.

Badri Patarkatsishvili was seen as a driving force behind anti-government protests in November that led President Mikheil Saakashvili to order a police crackdown and call an early presidential vote on Jan. 5. The president was reelected with 52% of the vote, the Electoral Commission said, but the opposition alleges the balloting was rigged.

Patarkatsishvili has acknowledged offering money to police if they sided with protesters. He left Georgia in November and did not return for the election; he won about 7% of the vote.