Geneva int’l discussion co-chairs say all is being done to return Tatunashvili’s body to family
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The co-chairs of the Geneva International Discussions have expressed their concern over the death of Georgian citizen Archil Tatunashvili under unclear circumstances in Georgia’s Russian occupied region of Tskhinvali.
Representatives of the European Union (EU), the United Nations (UN) and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) said everything is being done to return Tatunashvili’s body to his family.
Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Davit Zalkaliani said foreign officials will be visiting Tskhinvali today over the case.
Thirteen days after Tatunashvili’s death, his 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.
- Read also: Parliament Speaker: Russia’s consent to violations causes death of Georgians in occupied regions
Georgian officials worry that Tatunashvili’s case is not an exception as several other Georgians have died in unclear circumstances in the occupied regions in previous years, including Davit Basharuli and Giga Otkhozoria.
They call for the international community to ensure the immediate investigation of the cases and the punishment of those responsible to prevent further crimes.
Since the Russia-Georgia war in August 2008, the Geneva International Discussions have been the only format of dialogue between Georgia and Russia. Photo by Mzia Saganelidze/RFERL
It is chaired by the OSCE, the EU and the UN. Representatives from Tbilisi, Tskhinvali and Sukhumi, Moscow and Washington also take part in the discussions.
The Patriarchate of Georgia has announced that through the request of the Georgian Patriarch Ilia II Russian Patriarch Kirill has become involved in the body-transfer process.
The Georgian patriarchate has also announced that Tatunashvili’s body is supposed to be returned to his family either today or tomorrow.
- Tatunashvili and two other Georgian citizens were detained by occupation forces on February 22 in Akhalgori area, on territory currently controlled by Russians, allegedly for Tatunashvili’s participation in the Russia-Georgia 2008 war.
- Tskhinvali media announced the death of Tatunashvili on February 23, and stated that the latter had an incident with detention facility staff and fell down a flight of stairs.
- However, the de-facto security service of Tskhinvali claims the man died due to heart failure. Tskhinvali refuses to hand over the body until Russian experts provide the outcome of an autopsy.
- Two others detained with Tatunashvili have been released from detention but they cannot leave the occupied territory due to the fact that their identification documents have been confiscated.
Amnesty International has issued a statement concerning the death of Georgian citizen Archil Tatunashvili in Georgia’s Russian occupied region of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia). Twelve days have passed since the death of Tatunashvili, aged 35, in unclear circumstances in the occupied Tskhinvali region.
Eleven days have passed since the death of Georgian citizen, 35-year-old soldier Archil Tatunashvili, in unclear circumstances in the occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region.The body has not been handed over to the Tatunashvili 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 today to condemn death of Georgian citizen Archil Tatunashvili in the Russian-occupied Tskhinvali region. Demonstrators brought flowers and lit candles in memory of the 35-year-old, who died in the occupied region under unclear circumstances on February 23.
Georgia’s prime minister has said the body of Georgian citizen Archil Tatunashvili, who died in the Russian-occupied Tskhinvali, will be buried on home soil. In a statement released Sunday, Giorgi Kvirikashvili said it was a tragedy that the family could not mourn the loss of their loved one.
The Polish Foreign Ministry has demanded an objective account of the death of Georgian citizen Archil Tatunashvili in the Russian occupied region of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) and accountability for the perpetrators of the crime.
The President of the European Council Donald Tusk has expressed his concern over the death of Georgian citizen Archil Tatunashvili and the detention of two others in Georgia’s Russian occupied region of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia).
"I urge the leadership of the Russian Federation to take joint steps and resolve this complicated situation”, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili has said. This August marks the 10th anniversary since the war of 2008, which according to PM Kvirikashvili "has left a tremendous mark on the Georgian people’s minds and Georgia-Russia relations”.
Georgian Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze stated late on Thursday that Georgia is working together with its international partners within the Geneva International Discussions to adopt a non-use of force statement with the discussion participants.
The 45th round of the Geneva International Discussions has touched upon the grave human rights situation in the occupied Georgian regions, as well as on cases of the murder and abduction of Georgian citizens and complications related to local incident prevention mechanisms.