Georgia, Tbilisi, July 12 / Trend N. Kirtskhalia /
Detaining a personal photographer was a surprise and a blow to Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, the press secretary of the Georgian President Manana Manjgaladze said today at a traditional briefing.
"This is not the case against the photographers because the charges against them were not related to their professional activities," she said. "This particular criminal case can not be regarded as persecution of freedom of speech."
She said that the Interior Ministry conducts an investigation.
The Counter Intelligence Department of the Georgian Interior Ministry has detained the following persons: Zurab Qurtsikidze, the representative of European Photo Agency, Irakli Gedenidze, photographer of the President's Administration, his spouse Natia Gedenidze, and Giorgi Abdaladze, photographer of the Georgian Foreign Ministry. Natia Gedenidze was released.