"The court found Vakhtang Maisaia guily on the basis of the evidence submitted," said a spokeswoman for Tbilisi city court. "He was sentenced to 20 years in jail," the spokeswoman said, adding the trial was closed to the public. In August 2008, Russia crushed an assault by US ally Georgia on the breakaway region of South Ossetia launched after days of clashes between Georgian and rebel forces and years of growing tensions between Moscow and Tbilisi. At the time of Maisaia's arrest, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said he "inflicted great damage to the security of the country" and accused him of supplying Russia with hourly updates on Georgian army positions.
"The court found Vakhtang Maisaia guily on the basis of the evidence submitted," said a spokeswoman for Tbilisi city court. "He was sentenced to 20 years in jail," the spokeswoman said, adding the trial was closed to the public. In August 2008, Russia crushed an assault by US ally Georgia on the breakaway region of South Ossetia launched after days of clashes between Georgian and rebel forces and years of growing tensions between Moscow and Tbilisi. At the time of Maisaia's arrest, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said he "inflicted great damage to the security of the country" and accused him of supplying Russia with hourly updates on Georgian army positions.