Georgia’s Foreign Minister uses UN tribune to voice human rights violation in occupied regions

Russia’s occupation of two regions of Georgia prevents the Georgian Government to protect the human rights of its people living on the other side of the illegally erected barbed wire fences.

These words were spoken by Georgia’s Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze when he delivered a speech at the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council’s High-Level Segment in Geneva today.

"Georgia has been consistently pursuing its policy aimed at ensuring full enjoyment of rights for its entire population,” said Georgia’s top diplomat.

"Notwithstanding the progress, Russia’s occupation of Georgia’s two regions prevents the Government’s ability to share its human rights protection framework with the population remaining on the other side of the illegally erected barbwire fences along the occupation line.”

People residing in #Georgia's Abkhazia and Tskinvali regions continue to be deprived of their fundamental rights and freedom #HRC31@UN_HRC

— Mikheil Janelidze (@JanelidzeMkh) February 29, 2016

"People residing in Georgia’s Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions continue to be deprived of their fundamental rights and freedoms,” he said.

"Particularly, alarming are new waves of illegal passportisation, persistent kidnappings, restriction of the freedom of movement, illegal detentions and prohibition of education in native language.”

Janelidze added despite the challenges on the ground, Georgia would do its utmost to foster engagement with the population who were in the Russian-occupied lands.

The Georgian Minister added Georgia had undertaken a number of reforms to improve the human rights situation.

#Georgia has generated a number of successful reforms aimed at advancing national human rights agenda #HRC31pic.twitter.com/vpGAJ869WD

— Mikheil Janelidze (@JanelidzeMkh) February 29, 2016

He said through active cooperation with civil society and international actors, the country had adopted adequate national action plans. He added civil society would participate in their implementation and monitoring.

Janelidze also pledged the country’s penitentiary system and provisions on torture would be reformed. He added work had already been done to protect children’s rights, reduce child mortality rates and protect children from violence.

The Minister stressed integrating internally displaced persons and ensuring gender equality remained top priorities of the Georgian Government.

"Georgia continues to harmonise its legislation with relevant international treaties,” Janelidze said.

Addressing the Session, the Georgian official spoke about international affairs too. He stressed it was of utmost importance to ensure the independence and impartiality of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and underlined the importance of the Universal Periodic Review as the key element of the Human Rights Council.

Georgia’s Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze speaks at the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council’s High-Level Segment in Geneva today. Photo by MFA Press Office.

Janelidze said the Government of Georgia was shocked by the atrocities committed by ISIS and called for an immediate stop of such violations.

He said violent extremism was a clear and present danger, and as a result of armed conflict, millions of people all over the world had been deprived of their homes and a decent life. The death toll caused by irregular migration continued to increase so it was important to root out its causes, he said.

The Georgian diplomat believed joint international efforts were necessary to dismantle smuggling networks.

Georgia shared concern on human rights violations, especially in Syria and Ukraine. In Ukraine thousands of people were deprived of their rights and Georgia urged the Russian Federation to abide by the provisions of the Minsk Agreements.