02 April 2012, 23:00
Russian businessman pleads guilty of illegal visit to Abkhazia
In Tbilisi, at preliminary court hearings, the Russian businessman Konstantin Rodionov, accused by Georgian authorities of illegal visiting Abkhazia, has fully admitted his guilt.
Rodionov was detained at Tbilisi Airport on February 17. For his visiting Abkhazia without Tbilisi's permit, which is a crime in Georgia, he is under threat of up to four years of imprisonment. According to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on March 28 Rodionov was released from the Tbilisi prison on bail.
The "Georgia Online" reports that Rodionov has fully admitted his guilt. According to his story, in 2009 he travelled to Abkhazia, as evidenced by a stamp in his passport, but he did not know that it would cause problems.
"I came here to start my business and create jobs. My detention is the fault of the Russian party. I knew nothing about the Georgia's law on occupied territories; nobody had warned me about it in Russia," said Rodionov.
After returning to Russia, the businessman intends to sue the Russian Federal Border Service, the "Kommersant" writes.
"If Russian border guards had asked me before my flight to Tbilisi whether I had ever been in Abkhazia and whether I knew what awaited me with this stamp in my passport, it would have been enough. A citizen may not know, but they should have warned," said Konstantin Rodionov.
The main hearing of the case of a Russian citizen Rodionov will take place on April 10 at 2:00 p.m., the IA "News-Georgia" reports.
