PM Kvirikashvili: Killing of Georgian man near Abkhazia is “disgusting”, a “huge tragedy”
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Georgia’s two highest officials have spoken out about the killing of a Georgian man near the de facto Abkhazia; with one saying his death was "merciless” and the other saying it was unacceptable barbed wire fences were installed on Georgian territory.
Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili said the unprovoked killing of 31-year-old Giga Otkhozoria was "disgusting” and a "huge tragedy.”
Otkhozoria was on Georgian territory when he was gunned down by Russia’s border guards stationed near the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) with breakaway Abkhazia.
The PM said the "merciless” killing of Otkhozoria, who was shot six times by armed guards, aimed to disturb the reconciliation process between Georgia and the population living in its two de facto regions Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia).
Kvirikashvili said Georgia achieved success regarding inter-community relations despite the lack of progress to restore political relations.
We are taking steps to restore trust between people. I believe those who committed this horrible crime will be very strictly punished. We will involve all our foreign partners in the issue to ensure the offenders are adequate punished,” Kvirikashvili said.
Meanwhile Georgia’s President Giorgi Margvelashvili said he would raise the issue of this tragic murder at this month’s United Nations (UN) forum dedicated to human rights and humanitarian issues.
Georgia’s President Giorgi Margvelashvili said Giga Otkhozoria was one more victim of Russia’s occupation of Georgia. Photo by the President’s webpage.
The President made this vow while speaking with Georgian students who were at the Presidential Palace in capital Tbilisi this afternoon for a Q&A session with the leader.
This murder in Khurcha village means one more man has become a victim of occupation. This is the reality we live in and we will definitely overcome this reality through our consecutive and reasonable actions,” Margvelashvili told the students.
He stressed it was "very painful” when barbed wire fences were stretched on your own soil but acting with emotions would do no good for the country. Instead, he said Georgia must follow its current strategy, which was agreed with allies, as this would end with greater results than any action that stems from emotions.
We will develop Georgia and make it more European, more Euro-Atlantic and will follow a policy of strategic patience with Russia. The strategy envisages showing our rival that a confrontation is not beneficial for them and that this rivalry will bring no positive results for their interests.”
The dialogue will lead us to the restoration of our sovereignty and territorial integrity. This is a hard walk but it has no alternative,” Margvelashvili said.
Georgia’s State Security Service said four of Russia’s border guards shot Otkhozoria while he was on Georgian-controlled territory.
Earlier this afternoon Russia released a statement that denied its border guards participated in the murder.
Russia has denied any involvement in the brutal murder of a Georgian man near the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) separating de facto Abkhazia region from the rest of Georgia.
A Georgian citizen has been shot six times and killed by Russia's border guards patrolling the area between Georgia and breakaway Abkhazia region.
The European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM) in Georgia has responded to the brutal murder of a Georgian man near the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) separating de facto Abkhazia region from the rest of Georgia.
Georgian authorities have uncovered the identity of the border guard who shot and killed a Georgian man near the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) separating de facto Abkhazia region from the rest of Georgia.
The United States (US) has condemned the brutal murder of a Georgian man near the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) separating de facto Abkhazia region from the rest of Georgia.
Georgian law authorities have asked the court to impose pre-trial detention in absentia for the border guard who shot and killed a Georgian man near the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) separating de facto Abkhazia region from the rest of Georgia on May 19.
Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili has today travelled to western Georgia’s Samegrelo region to personally grieve with the family of a young Georgian man who was killed near the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) separating de facto Abkhazia region from the rest of Georgia on May 19.
Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili says Russia is "fully responsible” for the "brutal and disgusting” murder of a Georgian man who was shot and killed by Russian-controlled border guards at the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) separating occupied Abkhazia from rest of Georgia.
A special meeting is taking place in occupied Abkhazia tomorrow where Georgian officials and de facto Abkhazian leadership will sit down for the first time in four years and discuss conflict issues, including the murder of a Georgian man near the Abkhazian Administrative Boundary Line (ABL).
Georgia is demanding a Russian-controlled border guard who shot and killed a Georgian man near the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) separating de facto Abkhazia and rest of Georgia to face a Georgian court of law and be punished for his actions.
Almost three weeks has passed since a Georgian man was gunned down near the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) separating de facto Abkhazia and rest of Georgia but the border guard who fired the fatal shots has not been apprehended.
De facto Abkhazia failed to react to murder of Georgian man near ABL, says MFA
Georgian officials have sat down with de facto Abkhazia leadership and European mediators for the latest round of the Geneva International Discussions, which ended poorly when the Russian and de facto sides walked out of the meeting in protest.
UPDATED: 5.10pm
The Military Court operating in Georgia’s de facto Abkhazia region has imposed a sentence of home detention on the border guard who shot and killed 31-year-old Georgian man Giga Otkhozoria on May 19.
Special envoys representing Georgia and Russia met today in Prague, Czech Republic, for the latest round of talks between the two nations.
The Russia-controlled Abkhazia region leadership continues to refuse the punishment of a so-called border-guard Rashid Kanjiogli, who brutally killed Georgian citizen Giga Otkhozoria with six gunshots on the Tbilisi-controlled territory two years ago.