Tbilisi: Russian human rights activists try to release their Georgian colleague

Russian human rights defenders Ernst Chorny and Sergey Kovalyov came to Tbilisi to meet President of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili. According to Mr Kovalyov, earlier they sent a letter to Mikhail Saakashvili asking him to release human rights activist Academician Vladimir Vakhaniya.

Muscovite Vakhaniya was detained by the Georgian police on October 12, 2008, when he came to visit his relatives. His documents were taken away, thus, he could not leave Georgia. The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on March 15, 2009, Mr Vakhaniya was accused of buying and storing firearms, which was detected during a search of his father's house in Zugdidi village. Besides, they tried to accuse him of espionage in favour of Russia, the "Georgia Today" Agency reports.

Vladimir Vakhaniya, who is now kept in Prison No. 1 in Tbilisi, said repeatedly that he was detained illegally and that his case was fabricated by Georgian authorities, because he was not afraid to criticize them.

Mr Kovalyov has emphasized that should he meet President Saakashvili, he will discuss the issue of 110 prisoners, treated by the opposition as "political prisoners", the "Georgia Online" reports.

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