The Interior Ministry said Thursday on its website said the detainees were Irakli Gedenidze, the photographer for Saakashvili; Zurab Kurtsikidze of the European Pressphoto Agency and Foreign Ministry photographer Georgy Abdaladze.

Gedenidze’s wife also was arrested.

The statement said they were suspected of sending information harmful to Georgia to an unspecified foreign country.

Associated Press photographer Skakh Aivazov was also detained Thursday, but was released after several hours without being charged.