The Georgian Media Legal Defence Centre of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association is defending photo journalists Irakli and Natia Gedevanidzes and Zurab Kurtsikidze arrested under Article 314 of the Criminal Code of Georgia - on charges of espionage - by the Interior Ministry on July 7, 2011.

The lawyers met with the arrested persons yesterday, on July 7. The case has been classified as secret; therefore, due to their professional obligation, lawyers of the GMLDC may not release any details of the matter.

It is important that among the arrested photo journalists there are photographers that have cooperated with international media outlets, which causes high public interest in the detainees and the fact of the detention.

The GMLDC believes that the rule of law is the value that any citizen of a democratic society aspires to protect. Therefore, the Centre calls on the Interior Ministry to make the decision about classifying the case (individual administrative-legal act) public on its own initiative, and protect the legitimate public interests by providing society with credible arguments about expediency of classifying the case as secret.