Tbilisi Says Russia Releases Three Georgians Jailed for Spying
Three Georgian citizens, who were serving prison terms in Russia for espionage for Tbilisi, have been released, Georgian PM’s special envoy for relations with Russia, Zurab Abashidze, said on Monday.
“Several days ago three citizens have been released and they are already back to their families,” Abashidze said without specifying identities of the three persons.
He said that several Georgian citizens still remain in Russia serving prison terms on spying charges and added that Russia may hand one of them to the Georgian side this month.
In 2014 Russia released three Georgian citizens, who were serving prison terms for spying.
“I hope that this issue [of Georgian citizens serving prison terms in Russia for spying] will be closed in the nearest future,” Abashidze said on June 6 and added that it will again be discussed when he meets Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin in Prague in frames of bilateral dialogue launched in late 2012.
In January, 2013 Georgia released from jails 190 inmates who were recognized by the country’s Parliament as "political prisoners"; among them were several persons who were convicted for spying in favor of Russia, including three Russian citizens. Moscow at the time welcomed release of its citizens.
