21:00, 10 April 2012

Georgian court releases Russian citizen Konstantin Rodionov

The Tbilisi City Court decided to release businessman Konstantin Rodionov, a Russian citizen, who is accused of illegal visit to Abkhazia.

Konstantin Rodionov, who was arrested in Tbilisi for entry into Abkhazia through the Russian border, was released on April 10 as a result of the procedural agreement.

At the preliminary hearings, Konstantin Rodionov admitted his guilt and claimed his ignorance of the fact that entry into Abkhazia, bypassing Georgia, is punishable by the Georgian legislation.

"I knew nothing about the Georgia Law on the occupied territories, and I was not warned about it in Russia," he explained.

Konstantin Rodionov faced a penalty of 2-4 years of imprisonment or a fine not less than 2000 laris (1220 US dollars). The press service of the court does not report about the precise amount of the fine paid by the businessman, referring to the mystery of the procedural agreement.

Author: Beslan Kmuzov

Source: CK correspondent