A Georgian political scientist and former diplomat was sentenced to 20 years in prison on charges of spying for Russia during the August 2008 war between the two ex-Soviet states.
Vakhtang Maisaya, head of the political science department at Tbilisi State University and a former diplomat who worked in Georgia's mission in NATO, was accused of passing information on Georgian arms purchases and military movements to Russia, Kommersant daily reported on Saturday.
Maisaya "passed hourly information on troop numbers and their positions," the Georgian Interior Ministry said in a statement, the paper reported.
Russia and Georgia fought a five-day war after Tbilisi launched an offensive against breakaway South Ossetia.
The lawyer acting for Maisaya said her client maintains his innocence.
"We will appeal the ruling issued by the Tbilisi City Court," Natia Korkotadze said as quoted by the daily.
Maisaya was arrested on May 5, 2009, when a group of high-ranking military officials were also arrested after a mutiny at a base outside Tbilisi. Authorities said the military had sought to overthrow the government, but were not supported by soldiers. The arrests came as the Georgian capital was rocked by anti-government protests.
MOSCOW, January 30 (RIA Novosti)
