Georgia, Tbilisi, April 2 / Trend N.Kirtzkhalia /
Russian businessman Konstantin Rodionov, who is accused of violating the law on the occupied territories, has pleaded guilty and blamed his arrest on the Russian side. He stated this on Monday at a preliminary hearing at the Tbilisi City Court.
"I came here to start a business and create jobs. The Russian side is to blame for the fact that I was detained, as I was not warned that due to the fact that in 2009 I traveled to Abkhazia, I will have a problem. There is a stamp in my passport that indicates that I have visited Abkhazia. I knew nothing about the law of Georgia on occupied territories, I was not warned on it in Russia," said Rodionov.
Lawyer Maya Ninua protects the businessman's interests.
Konstantin Rodionov is charged under the first part of Article 322 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which provides for a fine or imprisonment from 2 to 4 years.
In today's process the defence recognized all produced evidence and disputed none of them.
The counselor solicited for an interrogation of the accused at the main trial, which was granted.
Hearing is scheduled for April 10, at 14:00.
Russian businessman Konstantin Rodionov was born in 1961 in Ochamchira. He is a Russian citizen and lives in Moscow.