Tbilisi court keeps Finance Ministry official in pre-trial detention on espionage charge

The Tbilisi City Court has ruled that Giorgi Udzilauri, a division head at the Investigation Service of Georgia's Ministry of Finance, will remain in pre-trial detention.

Judge Lela Kalichenko granted the prosecution's request to keep Udzilauri in custody.

The case has now entered the trial stage, with substantive hearings set to begin.

Udzilauri was arrested on 5 May and charged under Article 314(1) of Georgia's Criminal Code, which relates to espionage and carries a maximum sentence of 12 years' imprisonment.