2 Detainees in Georgia-Azerbaijani Border Case Officially Charged

Two detainees in the Georgia-Azerbaijani border case, Iveri Melashvili and Natalia Ilichova, accused of acting against the territories of Georgia, have been officially charged.

Both detainees are former members of a state commission that worked on the demarcation of a border between Georgia and Azerbaijan.

The prosecutor of the case, Mikheil Sadradze, claims that the accusation against the detainees belongs to a category of serious crime. The accused do not plead guilty.

The prosecution appeals to the court to use detention as a measure of restraint for the accused.

"The defendants do not agree with the charges, however, it is their right. This is a deliberate act committed by the accused, which was aimed at separating a certain part from the territories of Georgia, and as a result of their criminal actions, the historical territories of Georgia, about 3,500 hectares, were in danger of being lost," Sadradze said.

Opposition politicians claim that Melashvili and Ilichova are innocent and therefore their detention is "politically motivated." 

Today, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia stated that the investigation related to the issue of delimitation-demarcation of the Georgian-Azerbaijani border is Georgia's internal affair and will not harm the strategic partnership with Azerbaijan.

The head of the government calls on everyone not to politicize the investigation. 

Foreign Minister Davit Zalkaliani also responded to the issue, noting that the investigation and the search for a fair solution will not damage the friendly relations between Georgia and Azerbaijan.

By Ana Dumbadze 

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