11:33, 27 August 2021

Five Pankisi residents arrested under terrorism case

The court has ruled to the arrest five residents of the Pankisi Gorge accused of involvement in the "Islamic State" (IS)*, by rejecting their defence's motion to release them on bail. All the five declared their innocence.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on August 24, the Georgian State Security Service (SSS) conducted a special operation in the villages of Koreti and Duisi and detained five local residents, accusing them of participating in a terrorist organization. The young men aged from 18 to 20 are accused of involvement in the IS*. Pankisi residents are sure of the young men's innocence.

Malkhaz Machalikashvili, a candidate for MP, has linked the young guys' detention with the upcoming elections. He has pointed out that before 2017, when groups accused of links with a terrorist organization were revealed, at least two or three of them had the same surname; but this time, law enforcers arrested five guys with different surnames.

The advocates demanded to release their clients on bail. According to Anna Liluashvili, one of the advocates, all the defendants refused to plead guilty.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on August 26, 2021 at 04:54 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Author: Galina Gotua

Source: CK correspondent