Georgia Jails 'Armed Opposition Group'

The opposition activists were sentenced for planning to help fugitive former Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili return to Georgia.

A Georgian court has handed jail terms to 15 opposition supporters for allegedly forming an illegal armed group to bring a fugitive politician back to Georgia.

A statement by Tbilisi City Court on September 8 said the men were given sentences of between six months to six years after pleading guilty and striking a plea bargain.

The group was accused of planning to help former defense minister Irakli Okruashvili -- who fled the country after going into opposition and being convicted of corruption -- to return to Georgia during antigovernment protests in May that ended in violence.

compiled from agency reports