By empty (5/10/2004 issue of the CACI Analyst)

To mark the birthday of his deceased father and predecessor Heidar Aliyev, President Aliyev signed a decree on 10 May pardoning 363 prisoners. Those freed include several human rights activists and individuals considered by the Council of Europe to be political prisoners, among them the former acting head of the Baku Naval College, Djanmirza Mirzoev. Mirzoev was sentenced in November 2001 to eight years\' imprisonment on charges, which he denied, of arranging the murder in 1993 of Rear Admiral Eduard Huseinov.

By empty (5/8/2004 issue of the CACI Analyst)

At least five senior Adjar officials have been arrested since the resignation and departure for Moscow on 5 May of Adjar Supreme Council Chairman Aslan Abashidze. Murad Tsintsadze and his son Merab, both of them senior Interior Ministry personnel, were detained in Batumi on 8 May, as was Kobuleti Governor Tariel Khalvashi, the man responsible for barring Saakashvili from entering Adjaria in mid-March. Khalvashi has been charged with persecuting the opposition to Abashidze and illegally distributing weapons to the population.

By empty (5/8/2004 issue of the CACI Analyst)

Georgian Prosecutor General Irakly Okruashvili told the press about plans to auction off some of former Ajarian leader Aslan Abashidze\'s property, in particular, three expensive Hummer vehicles as well as pedigree dogs. \"Taking care of these dogs cost much more than the healthcare expenses for Ajaria\'s Khelvachauri district,\" Okruashvili said. Meanwhile, the television company Mze showed outdoor cages in which about 200 of Abashidze\'s pedigree dogs, primarily Caucasian shepherd dogs, are kept.