TBILISI. – Armenian activist Vahagn Chakhalyan, who was released from prison Thursday in Georgia, was not serving his sentence on charges of working for the Russian special services, as claimed by Georgian President  Mikheil Saakashvili’s—now opposition—United National Movement (UNM) party. Sozar Subari, Georgia’s Minister of Corrections and Legal Assistance, stated this in response to UNM’s statement on Chakhalyan’s release.    

Subari explained that the Armenian activist was sentenced to prison on charges of disturbing public order, the minister said on Rustavi 2 television, Novosti Gruzia News Agency reports. 

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, Armenian activist Vahagn Chakhalyan was released Thursday evening in Georgia after spending five years in jail. In 2009 he was sentenced to ten years on charges of organizing events that disturb public order, possession of weapons, and hooliganism.  In the meantime, Chakhalyan’s release was strictly condemned by the former ruling party run by incumbent President Mikheil Saakashvili.