Indian students rally in Georgia demanding release of abducted Georgian doctor

Indian students in Georgia have rallied to demand the immediate release of well-known Georgian doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili, who was abducted by Russian-controlled occupation forces on November 9.

We believe it is our responsibility to express solidarity with doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili and stand against injustice and aggression. We urge all international organizations protecting human rights to take all measures for the immediate release of the illegally detained doctor,” the students said late yesterday, many of whom study at the State Medical University of Georgia.

On November 22 Amnesty International demanded the release of the doctor who was sentenced to two-month illegal, pretrial detention in Georgia’s Russian-occupied Tskhinvali region on November 15 “for deliberately crossing the border.”

• De facto Tskhinvali on illegally detained Georgian doctor: ‘crossing the border was well-planned’

Doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili has been in illegal detention for 17 days. Photo: Firefly World. 

Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has stated  that government agencies are working in a 24-hour regime to achieve the release of doctor Gaprindashvili.

Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani has raised the issue with High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, acting chair of OSCE Miroslav Lajcak, Deputy Secretary General of UN Rosemary DiCarlo and Deputy Secretary General of NATO Mircea Geoana, the Georgian Foreign Ministry reported yesterday.

A number of officials and organisations, including President Salome Zurabishvili, the United States Embassy to Georgia, the US mission to OSCE have expressed their support to Gaprindashvili.

The Georgian Foreign Ministry said on November 16 that they are doing their best to ensure the safe return of the doctor.