Ex-Chief of Peacekeepers Sentenced to Pretrial Detention

Court sentenced Mikheil Kebadze, former commander of the Georgian peacekeeping battalion stationed in the breakaway South Ossetian conflict zone, to three-month pretrial detention on October 15.
 
?The court ruling is groundless and absurd,? Mikheil Kebadze told reporters after the trial. 
 
Mikheil Kebadze, who was arrested on October 13, is accused of illegal possession of arms. However, Deputy Security Minister Batu Kutelia told Civil Georgia on October 14 that Kebadze is also suspected of divulging secrete information, which is equal to treason. However, the treason charges have not been officially brought against Kebadze yet.

Around hundred co-villagers of Mikheil Kebadze were rallying outside the court building in Tbilisi demanding his release.