Georgian president's office says detained journalists were spies
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 8 July 2011 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Georgian president's office says detained journalists were spies, 8 July 2011, available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/4e2043a0c.html [accessed 20 June 2013] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
July 08, 2011
Georgia's President Mikheil Saakashvili
A spokeswoman for Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili says four Georgian news photographers arrested on July 7 were part of a "spying network."
The spokeswoman added that the photographers' arrests had "nothing to do with their journalism."
The detained photojournalists are accused of spying for a foreign country, although Georgian officials have yet to name the country involved.
The detainees are Zurab Kurtsikidze, a photographer for the European Pressphoto Agency; freelancer Giorgi Abdaladze; and Saakashvili's personal photographer, Irakli Gedenidze, together with his wife Natia Gedenidze, also a photographer.
AP photographer Shakh Aivazov was also briefly detained and released without charges.
Lawyers for Kurtsikidze and Abdaladze say their clients deny wrongdoing.
compiled from agency reports
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
