AUG 1 2011 (The Conway Bulletin) – The abrupt end of a spy row involving four Georgian photojournalists left many wondering if a Russian plot had been foiled, or whether the Georgian Interior Ministry was just plain paranoid.

On July 22, 15 days after being arrested and charged with spying for Russia, the Georgian photojournalists, including President Mikheil Saakashvili’s personal photographer, signed plea deals and were released on conditional sentences.

The plea deal means evidence against the photographers will never be heard and if the photographers talk about the case they will be sent to prison. Georgian authorities said the deal was struck in return for information about other Russian agents but conditional sentences are almost unheard of in Georgia where spies usually get the maximum sentence.

Many observers put the deal down to the embarrassment the case caused. Local journalists have held daily rallies, Western diplomats have been perplexed and the international media has extensively covered the case.

Some journalists in Tbilisi believe the photojournalists were released so that the case did not overshadow the visit on July 26 of Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the EU.

After being released, Giorgi Abdaladze, one of the arrested photographers, gave a guarded, tantalising interview to the New York Times. “I saw things I have never seen before. Something I couldn’t imagine,” he said. An obscure insight, perhaps, into an obscure case.

ENDS

JULY 8 2011 (The Conway Bulletin) – Police in Georgia arrested four high profile photo-journalists, including President Mikheil Saakashvili’s personal photographer, and charged them with spying for Russia. The photographers deny the accusations. One of the group said he is being punished for selling photos of a violent anti-government protest in May.

ENDS