TBILISI. Jan 16 (Interfax) - The Georgian Main Military Prosecutor's Office is investigating a criminal case against former top officials from the military police department suspected of abuse of office and offending people's honor and dignity, Georgian Chief Prosecutor Archil Kbilashvili said at a press conference on Tuesday.
"In particular, we have concrete documents against former head of the Georgian Defense Ministry's military police department Megis Karadava and his subordinates, who had collected compromising information on people having nontraditional [sexual] orientations, clandestinely videotaped them in private situations, and then blackmailed them demanding not only money, but also collaboration with special services," Kbilashvili said.
These actions were "systematic under the previous authorities," he said.
"Documents that we possess concern people more or less known in Georgia, who were blackmailed," he said.
Documents for opening a criminal investigation against Kardava and his subordinates were provided to prosecutors by an individual who fell victim to such blackmail, he said.
"This individual received a letter demanding that he pay a large amount of money for not disseminating this information," Kbilashvili said.
Kardava secretly left Georgia several weeks ago, Kbilashvili said. After he is officially indicted in court, he will be put on the international wanted list, he said.