The two are in the opposition’s list of “political prisoners” handed to MIA on August 12.Court in the town of Gori sentenced Davit Gudadze, an activist of opposition Republican Party, to four years in prison and Tamaz Tlashadze, who is affiliated with the same party, to three years in prison, RFE/RL Georgian service reported on August 16.

The two men were arrested in mid-June; Gudadze was charged with illegal possession and carrying of a hand-grenade and Tlashadze was charged with drug possession.

The both deny charges as fabricated and claim political motives behind their arrests.

They are in the list of, as the opposition calls it, “political prisoners”, which was handed by a group of opposition leaders to Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili at a meeting on August 12. The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) has pledged to study the list and respond within a week.