Russian-occupied Abkhazia sentences man to 15 years for “espionage in favor of Georgia”

The so-called Supreme Court of Georgia’s Russian-occupied Abkhazia region in the country’s north-west has sentenced Kakha Muradov to 15 years in prison on charges of “espionage in favor of Georgia,” according to a report by Ekho Kavkaza.

Muradov was found guilty of “treason” and “illegal trade in firearms,” though he has maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings, as stated by the so-called Prosecutor’s Office of Abkhazia.

Muradov’s arrest was first reported on May 14, 2024, when the so-called State Security Service of occupied Abkhazia accused him of espionage. The agency claimed that Muradov had been attempting to involve local residents in activities supporting Georgia’s territorial integrity. Additionally, they alleged his connections with members of the Georgian Legion, which is currently involved in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.