Georgia: photographer accused of espionage speaks about cooperation with Russian secret services

On July 18 the Chief Prosecutor's Office of Georgia disseminated confessional evidences of Georgi Abdaladze, the photographer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Georgia, detained on espionage charges, who said he had been recruited by Russian secret services in 2002 in South Ossetia.

Abdaladze's evidence was recorded on CDs and cassettes and distributed to the journalists at the Chief Prosecutor's Office of Georgia, the "Georgia Online" reports.

Georgi Abdaladze began his story with the moment when he worked as a photojournalist at the newspaper "Kviris Palitra". During his business trip he was to prepare a report on contraband traffic at Ergneti market, which operated on the border with South Ossetia.

"I was there, along with the driver. At the entrance to the market" Ergneti, "which then was considered neutral territory, I was detained by agents of Russian secret services and beaten. They forced the driver to drive in the direction of Tskhinvali city," said Georgi Abdaladze and noted that they had been brought to the building of the security service.

According to Georgi Abdaladze, in the building he had been beaten again. Having searched the photographer, the secret service agents found the press service accreditation of the President of Georgia and the switched on dictaphone, which was recording everything that happened from the moment of detention. This fact, according to Georgi Abdaladze, angered the secret service agents yet more and they started to beat the photographer even intensively.

In one and a half days Georgi Abdaladze was brought the document to sign, the "News-Georgia" reports with reference to the TV Company "Imedi".
"I was told that it was a protocol of my interrogation, in which I confessed to espionage and intention to commit acts of sabotage. At first I refused, and they started beating me again. Then I signed the document. After that violence was stopped," says Georgi Abdaladze.

According Georgi Abdaladze, he signed the paper without having even read its contents. After that he was released and brought to Ergneti.