Amnesty International: Russia, de-facto authorities must investigate Tatunashvili’s death, return body to family

Amnesty International has issued a statement concerning the death of Georgian citizen Archil Tatunashvili in Georgia’s Russian occupied region of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia).

Russia and the de facto authorities in Georgia’s disputed South Ossetia/Tskhinvali Region must ensure a thorough, prompt and impartial investigation into the death of Georgian detainee, Archil Tatunashvili; and his body should be returned to his family as soon as possible", the statement reads.

Twelve days have passed since the death of Tatunashvili, aged 35, in unclear circumstances in the occupied Tskhinvali region.

The body has not been handed over to his family for burial and two other Georgian citizens Levan Kutashvili and Ioseb Pavliashvili, detained with Tatunashvili on February 22, still remain in the occupied region.

People gathered at the Freedom Square in the centre of Tbilisi on Sunday to condemn death of Georgian citizen Archil Tatunashvili. Photo by Mzia Saganelidze/RFERL

According to Amnesty International, "It is a fundamental rule of international human rights law that no-one may be arbitrarily deprived of his or her life.”

Moreover, the organization said that under international standards, "a death of any type in custody should be regarded as prima facie a summary or arbitrary execution and there should be a thorough, prompt and impartial investigation to confirm or rebut the presumption.”

A failure to respect the duty to effectively investigate Archil Tatunashvili’s death would itself amount to a breach of the right to life. Families of the deceased have rights under international law and standards", the organization said.

Stressing that the family should be entitled to have a representative present during the autopsy, Amnesty International urged that upon completion of the necessary investigative procedures, the body should be returned to the family, allowing them to hold funeral rites for the deceased according to their beliefs.

• Read more about the case here.

Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili once again reiterated today that everything is being done to return Tatunashvili’s body to his family by the end of the week and ensure that the two other men detained with him also return safely to their homes on Tbilisi-administered territory.