Georgia's former Prime Minister Vano Merabishvili (C) speaks with his lawyer as he attends a preliminary hearing of his case at the court in Kutaisi, some 250 km (155 miles) west of the capital Tbilisi on May 22, 2013. EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton called today for fair and impartial treatment of Georgia's former prime minister Vano Merabishvili, arrested the previous day on corruption charges. AFP PHOTO / IRAKLI GEDENIDZE