Tsotne Gamsakhurdia, a son of late President Zviad Gamsakhurdia, who has been charged with espionage in favor of Russia and for alleged conspiracy to overthrow the government, was released on GEL 20,000 bail on September 18.

The Georgian Interior Ministry said in a statement posted on its website that Gamsakhurdia’s release was made possible as a result of his “cooperation with the investigators.” No details were given.

Police arrested Gamsakhurdia at Tbilisi airport on September 3 upon arrival from Moscow via Baku. Charges against him were brought in November 2007. On November 7, after riot police broke up anti-government demonstrations, the authorities released a video tape showing Tsotne Gamsakhurdia, who is a brother of Konstantine Gamsakhurdia, the leader of the opposition Freedom Party, meeting with a diplomat from the Russian embassy in Tbilisi. In a separate taped phone conversation, Tsotne Gamsakhurdia tells his brother, Konstantine, how the opposition could lose momentum after gathering 150,000 people outside Parliament on November 2.