Georgian, Australian citizens sentenced to 19 and 20 years in prison for child pornography
A citizen of the US and Australia had a photo salon in a rented apartment in Tbilisi, where they were making children pornography (photo and video materials) to sell abroad. Photo: Tbilisi City Court.
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The Tbilisi City Court has found one Australian and two Georgian citizens guilty in a child pornography case, sentencing them to 20 and 19 years in prison.
The Australian citizen identified only as P.L. was sentenced to 20 years in prison, while Georgian citizens – M.P. and Ts. M. will face 19 years in prison. The Tbilisi City Court continues hearing cases against 11 other Georgian individuals, including 10 parents and one teacher, who have been accused of assisting in the crime”, reports the Georgian Chief Prosecutor’s Office.
A criminal group involving American, Australian citizens and parents of the affected children were detained on charges of child trafficking and the production of child pornography in September 2019.
The American and Australian citizens produced child pornography with under-aged girls, whose parents in turn received 800 (about $270) – 3,000 (about $1,000) GEL in exchange from the detainees.
With the help of other Georgian associates, they produced pornographic materials to sell abroad.
Tbilisi City Court has sentenced an American citizen, one of nine to be tried in a child pornography case in Georgia, to 10 years in prison. The American citizen is one of the defendants in a child pornography case with whom the Tbilisi City Court has approved a plea agreement.
Police have detained 11 more individuals for child trafficking and child pornography, including parents and one school teacher, the Ministry of Internal Affair reports.
A criminal group involving 11 individuals have been identified and detained on charges of children trafficking and making child pornography in a joint operation of Georgian, US, Australian law enforcers and Europol. One American and one Australian citizen are among the detainees, while others are citizens of Georgia, including the parents and relatives of the affected children.
European Day on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse is being marked in Tbilisi today. Georgia joined the European Convention on the protection of children against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse in 2015.
About 70 per cent of children given to state care by social workers in 2019-2020 have been subject to violence, while the remaining 30 per cent have been placed in state care due to economic factors, said Deputy Health Minister Tamar Barkalaia.