The Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia has filed charges against two citizens detained in an espionage case detrimental to the country’s interests.
According to the agency, an investigation conducted by the Counterintelligence Department of the State Security Service of Georgia (SSG) established that two Georgian citizens, for financial gain and acting on instructions from foreign intelligence services, systematically collected and transmitted various types and categories of information to them.
It is also noted that one of the accused passed a portion of the received funds to other individuals involved in gathering intelligence.
The charges were brought under Article 314, Part 1 of the Criminal Code of Georgia (espionage), which carries a penalty of up to 12 years in prison.
The Prosecutor’s Office stated that it would petition the court within the legally prescribed timeframe to order pretrial detention as a preventive measure.
As a reminder, the State Security Service of Georgia announced on May 30 the detention of two individuals in connection with an espionage case. Initially, their names were not disclosed.
It later emerged that one of the detainees is Gulbaat Rtskhiladze, who, according to investigators, was linked to the intelligence services of two foreign states and allegedly conducted parallel intelligence activities.
The second detainee is Irakli Chikhladze, the brother of journalist Giga Chikhladze, who was killed in 2008. According to the investigation, acting on instructions from a foreign intelligence service, he coordinated a network of several individuals, managed their activities, and ensured the collection and transmission of information.