Irakli Chikhladze, the editor-in-chief of NewCaucasus detained on espionage charges, has been remanded in custody. The decision was made by Tbilisi City Court Judge Eka Barbakadze.
During the hearing on June 1, the court considered the preventive measure for the detainee. The prosecution pushed for the most severe measure—detention—while the defense requested that Chikhladze be released without any preventive measure.
As a reminder, Irakli Chikhladze was detained by the State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG) on May 30 on espionage charges.
He has been charged under Part 1 of Article 314 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which covers espionage. This offense carries a penalty of up to 12 years in prison.
The investigation claims that Irakli Chikhladze, “acting on the instructions of a foreign intelligence service, led an intelligence network consisting of several individuals, coordinated their activities, and ensured the collection and transmission of the obtained information.”
Additionally, Gulbaat Rtskhiladze, the head of the Eurasian Institute NGO who was detained on espionage charges, has been remanded in custody as a preventive measure.
As a reminder, on May 30, a representative of the State Security Service of Georgia stated at a briefing that counterintelligence officers had detained a Georgian citizen on espionage charges.
According to the agency, he was linked to the intelligence services of two foreign states.
It later emerged that this was Gulbaat Rtskhiladze, the head of the Eurasian Institute NGO, as well as Irakli Chikhladze—the brother of journalist Giga Chikhladze, who was killed in 2008—and the editor-in-chief of the Georgian Russian-language outlet NewCaucasus.
