Abkhaz Official Released

A court in the western Georgian city of Kutaisi released Pridon Chakaberia, head of the administration of Kvemo Bargebi village, on April 23.

Chakaberia was arrested by Georgian law enforcement agents in Zugdidi, a Georgian town near the administrative border with breakaway Abkhazia, on December 4, 2006 and charged with drug-trafficking. A court in Zugdidi found Chakaberia guilty and sentenced him to 10 years imprisonment on February 16, 2007.

The Abkhaz secessionist authorities had condemned the arrest of Pridon Chakaberia as an attempt at ?intimidating the local population? and demanded his immediate release.

Reportedly, in exchange for Chakaberia?s release, the Abkhaz side agreed to release three Georgian students, who were arrested by Abkhaz militiamen on March 1 on accusations of ?illegal crossing of the state border.?

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