As a result of counterintelligence measures carried out by the staff of the Counterintelligence Department of the State Security Service, one Georgian citizen has been detained on charges of espionage, as well as the collection and transmission of information on the instructions of officers of a foreign intelligence service.

As the First Deputy Head of the State Security Service, Lasha Magradze, stated at a briefing, an officer of a foreign intelligence service, in exchange for a certain sum of money, instructed the Georgian citizen to collect various types of information directed against Georgia’s interests.

“The evidence collected in the criminal case established that the detained person was recruited by a foreign intelligence service and was given a corresponding pseudonym.

The officer of the foreign intelligence service, in exchange for financial compensation, instructed the Georgian citizen to collect various types of information in the interests of the foreign intelligence service, which was harmful to Georgia’s interests.

The investigation has established that the person detained in the espionage case was tasked with collecting information in Georgia in the following areas: the locations, forces, and capabilities of Georgian law enforcement structures — including the State Security Service, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Ministry of Defence. He was also instructed to photograph and record video footage of their deployment locations.

He was also tasked with collecting information about strategic facilities in Georgia — including bridges, highways, railway lines, and other designated infrastructure — as well as taking photographs and videos of these sites.

The Counterintelligence Department has also identified two other Georgian citizens involved in similar crimes. They were recruited by the same foreign intelligence officers and, according to the tasks received, were collecting various types of information and transferring it to representatives of a foreign intelligence service in a manner harmful to Georgia’s interests.

Due to the specifics of the case, in order to accurately examine the circumstances of the crime, relevant operational and investigative measures were conducted over an extended period during the investigation.

The detainee has been charged with espionage under Part 1 of Article 314 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which carries a prison sentence of eight to twelve years.

As for the two aforementioned individuals, who are currently outside Georgia, charges will be brought against them in absentia under the same article. An international search will be declared for the wanted individuals through Interpol,” Magradze stated.