Preliminary hearings on Ahmed Chataev’s case passed off in Georgia

Preliminary hearings on the case of Russian citizen Ahmed Chataev detained in September in a special operation of the Ministry of Interior Affairs of Georgia in Lopota gorge were held in Tbilisi city court today. The court refused to release Chataev on bail, his attorney Nino Andriashvili reported.

Chataev is accused of illegal storage of an explosive device.

“For the reason that Ahmed Chataev’s state of health is becoming worse I insisted on his release on bail of 10 thousand lari (about 6 thousand US dollars) for him to be able to go to a normal hospital and get due treatment”, Nino Andriashvili said to the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.

According to her, the judge dismissed the motion of release on bail out of an apprehension that the defendant might escape from hospital and leave the country.

Earlier, Andriashvili called the charge against Chataev unlawful for her client went to Lopota gorge for negotiation that failed after which he was detained.

On October, 28, an action of protest was held in Pankisi gorge where Chechen refugees and the Kistins lived with the demand of Chataev’s release. Human rights organization ”Center” insists on Chataev’s exculpation stating that he received a refugee status in Austria.