Four residents of breakaway South Ossetia and two Russian citizens, detained by the Georgian police in a period between October 2008 and January 2010, have been released, authorities in breakaway region said on Tuesday.

Genady Pliev, arrested in January, 2010; Vadim Tadtaev, arrested in September, 2009 and Khatuna Charaeva, arrested in December, 2009 – all residents of the breakaway region, were released on March 29; three others, including two Russian citizens from North Ossetia (both arrested in August, 2009) and one resident of the breakaway region arrested in October, 2008, were released on March 30.

Most of them were either charged or already convicted for illegal possession of firearms or violation of Georgia’s law on occupied territories; this latter was the case in respect of two Russian citizens, in particular for entering the breakaway region illegally from North Ossetia; Khatuna Charaeva, a resident of Akhalgori district, was arrested in Tbilisi for allegedly carrying fake currency.

After the release, some of them told journalists in Tskhinvali, as reported by the breakaway region’s official website, that hearings were held in the Court of Appeals and they were released as a result of plea bargaining after pleading guilty. They also said, that they had to enter plea of guilty as part of the deal.