09:58, 8 March 2004

Georgian security officers' riot leads to imprisonment

Three senior Georgian state security officers have been convicted to three months' detention, another six have so far avoided bars and will be kept under police supervision until investigation is over. This was the verdict the Tbilisi District Court returned on March 6 with regard to officers of a regional authority of the Georgian State Security Ministry who had sent in their resignations because of aversion to a new regional security chief.

The incident occurred on March 3. The insubordination action was quelled by the Georgian Interior Ministry's special forces, and the nine participants were arrested and delivered to Tbilisi. Aside from abuse of power, the national Prosecutor's Office is charging three of them with involvement in smuggling activities and illegal manufacture of oil products near Zugdidi, West Georgia.

Lawyers intend to appeal against the court's decision at a higher authority because they think their clients have fallen victim to personal persecution on the part of the new regional security chief.

Source: Rosbalt News Agency