6 Chechens Arrested in Georgia Go in Preliminary Detention

(Tbilisi, Civil Georgia, August 7, 2002) – The Vake-Saburtalo district court of Tbilisi sentenced three-month preliminary detention to the 6 Chechens detained on August 5 by the Georgian border guards near the border with Chechnya.

Georgian State Security Ministry charges them for illegal crossing the border, trafficking arms and explosives.

7 Chechens with the same charges, arrested on August 3, were sentenced preliminary detention on August 6.

Gogita Gabaidze, lawyer of the two Chechens told the Civil Georgia today that detainees are against of their extradition to Russia. “They violated Georgian law and they should be trailed here in Georgia,” the lawyer says.

Georgia refused the Russian side to hand over detained Chechens. As the Georgina General Prosecutor says, Russia did not provide Georgia with the necessary documentation needed for the extradition.