Six Georgian nationals have received prison sentences of up to seven years in France for their involvement in the theft of rare Russian literary works from prestigious French libraries. The stolen items, which include valuable editions by famed 19th-century Russian authors such as Alexander Pushkin, Nikolai Gogol, and Mikhail Lermontov, are estimated to be worth millions of euros.

The verdict came following a trial that concluded between Friday night and early Saturday, during which all six defendants—five men and one woman—were found guilty of criminal conspiracy with intent to commit an offense. Some were additionally convicted for the theft of cultural assets on public display. Two of the accused were sentenced in absentia, as they were already in custody in Georgia, which does not extradite its own citizens to foreign jurisdictions.

Among the six, Mikheil Z, 50, received the longest sentence of seven years imprisonment. He also faces a lifetime ban from entering French territory upon his release and deportation. Mikheil Z had previously been sentenced in Lithuania to three years and four months for participating in an organized crime operation involving stolen 19th-century publications valued at over 600,000 euros.

Authorities have linked the thefts to an organized network suspected of operating across Europe, with possible connections to Russia. Two other individuals identified only as Mikheil Z and Beqa T have already been convicted and imprisoned for similar crimes in other countries and have been temporarily transferred to France to face charges.

This case is part of a broader effort by French and European law enforcement agencies to tackle the illicit trafficking of rare literary and cultural artifacts, particularly those originating from Russia. The thefts have raised concerns about the preservation of cultural heritage and have spurred cross-border cooperation to apprehend those responsible.