Misryoum reports that Georgia’s State Security Service arrested a senior Finance Ministry official on alleged espionage charges tied to a foreign state.
A senior official at Georgia’s Finance Ministry has been detained in a case that the State Security Service describes as espionage.
In an announcement, Misryoum said the State Security Service (SUS) arrested Giorgi Udzilauri, describing him as a public official allegedly collecting information containing state secrets and passing it to foreign intelligence services.
SUS’s first deputy head, Lasha Mgharadz e, said that intensive counterintelligence measures led to the identification of a person suspected of systematically gathering and transmitting sensitive information.
This case matters because it underlines how strongly security agencies in Georgia are focusing on the protection of state secrets and the risk of foreign influence inside public institutions.
Misryoum also reported that, according to the investigation’s version, the suspect allegedly used his current role in the Finance Ministry, as well as prior positions and connections across different agencies, to obtain information believed to be against the country’s interests.
Officials say the alleged contacts had a conspiratorial character, with meetings reportedly planned using encrypted communication and arranged across different locations with strict attention to cover.
The investigation, as described by Misryoum, indicates that the information allegedly passed on involved details about political and economic developments in Georgia, as well as conditions in security and law-enforcement structures, including aspects related to ethnic and religious minorities.
Under Georgia’s criminal code, Misryoum reports that the charges are based on Article 314, which covers espionage and, if proven, carries a prison term ranging from 8 to 12 years.
While SUS did not specify which foreign country the alleged cooperation was for, Misryoum reports that one broadcaster’s information points to a European state.
Meanwhile, the arrest has come at a time when security topics and the role of external actors remain closely watched in Georgia, and Misryoum notes that official comments from the Finance Ministry and other agencies have not been made yet.
This development is likely to keep public attention on how institutions manage access to sensitive information, especially when criminal cases involve alleged links beyond the country’s borders.