Trial Begins For Alleged Georgian Spy In North Ossetia

VLADIKAVKAZ, Russia -- The Supreme Court of the Russian republic of North Ossetia began hearings on August 14 on the case of a man alleged to have spied for Georgia, RFE/RL's Russian Service reports.

Russian citizen Aleksandr Khachirov is accused of assisting Georgian armed forces prepare for attacks against Georgia's breakaway republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia last year.

Khachirov was arrested on July 11, 2008 -- about a month before the five-day Russian-Georgian conflict.

Investigators say Khachirov was filming strategic objects and roads in South Ossetia and passing the film on to the Georgian secret service.

The trial is being held behind closed doors.