The Russia-controlled Abkhazia region leadership continues to refuse to punish so-called border-guard Rashid Kanjiogli, who brutally killed Georgian citizen Giga Otkhozoria with six gunshots on Tbilisi-controlled territory two years ago.
We strongly demanded the punishment of Kanjiogli during the 56th meeting of the Gali Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) meeting today. However, the answer of the breakaway region was absolutely unclear,” a representative of Georgia’s State Security Service Irakli Antadze told the media.
He stated that Georgia also strongly demanded the release of Georgian citizens who have been detained for so-called illegally crossing the border between Georgia and the breakaway territory, as well as free movement for locals.
The next IPRM meeting in Gali is scheduled on June 27.
Zugdidi City Court had sentenced Rashid Kanjiogli with 12-year imprisonment on December 26, 2016. The man still walks free in Abkhazia.
Otkhozoria was trying to transport food into the breakaway region for a funeral ceremony for his late aunt on May 19, 2016. Locals said the border guards demanded Otkhozoria pay a fine in exchange for transporting the goods, which caused a dispute. They said Otkhozoria ran away from the border guards but was shot as he retreated.
Otkhozoria was on Georgian-controlled territory at around 2:30 p.m when he was gunned down.
Witnesses say that Kanjioghli then hid in occupied Abkhazia after shooting Otkhozoria.
Otkhozoria left behind a wife and two children.