Emzar Kvitsiani, an ex-plenipotentiary presidential envoy to the Kodori Gorge, has been declared guilty of a military revolt and creation of illegal armed formations in 2006. The Zugdidi District Court sentenced him to 12 years of jail, Interfax reports.
Kvitsiani denies guilt. He said that disbanding of the Khotnik militia group and occupation of the Kodori Gorge by the Georgian army had been settled by Mikheil Saakashvili and Russia, resulting in Russia taking them without a fight in 2008. He assured that the territories would never have surrendered if he were there.
Kvitsiani was in Russia after the militia was disbanded. He returned to Georgia after Saakashvili’s party lost the elections.
