In Georgia, conviction for espionage cancelled from photographers

The Commission of the National Agency for Probation of Georgia has cancelled before term the punishment and removed conviction from four photojournalists, who had been sentenced on charges of spying for Russia, said Sozar Subari, the Minister for Correction, Probation and Legal Assistance.

The photographers were serving conditional sentence, except for Irakli Gedenidze. The above commission cancelled her punishment a few months ago.

On March 28, the Tbilisi City Court reduced – on the basis of the Law "On Amnesty" – the photojournalists' conditional term by a quarter; then the head of the Tbilisi Probation Bureau addressed the commission with a request for early cancellation of the conditional sentence and removal of the conviction. The petition was fully satisfied, said Mr Subari.

He has treated the case as "shameful", the "News-Georgia" reports.

According to the photographers, the commission's decision is very important to them. "This conviction was a real obstacle in our work, hampering to obtain accreditation and in cooperation with state bodies," the "Georgia Online" quotes Irakli Gedenidze as saying.