Georgian law enforcement agencies have reasons to suspect that the six Ukrainians and one Georgian detained in Tbilisi on Dec. 2 may be linked to the United National Movement led by former president Mikheil Saakashvili, Georgian Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia said.
“Given the very sensitive factor of the presidential elections that have just been held here, there are definitely such suspicions, and they are reinforced both by certain statements they made while being questioned and by the fact that they attended various demonstrations in Tbilisi, but these are only suspicions. An investigation is underway. It is a fact that we have seized weapons from the detainees, who came to Tbilisi as a group,” Gakharia told journalists on Dec. 4.
On Dec. 3, prosecutors charged the detainees with illegal acquisition and storage of firearms and explosives by a group. The detainees denied any wrongdoing.
A court is expected to decide on Dec. 4 whether the detainees should be taken into custody pending trial.
