Georgian FM Zalkaliani condemns sentencing of abducted doctor, says abduction was “deliberate provocation’
Georgian FM Zalkaliani says that the Georgian government will continue to fight for the release of abducted doctor Gaprindashvili.Photo: Foreign Ministry press office.
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Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani has condemned the decision of Russian controlled de facto Tskhinvali to sentence well-known Georgian doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili to one year and nine months in prison and stated that the illegal detention was a “deliberate provocation.”
We have activated all the levers available and got all the international structures involved for the release of the doctor from illegal detention. The recent decision [to send the doctor to almost two years in prison] once again confirms that the adduction was a deliberate provocation. I will have an immediate communication with co-chairs of Geneva International Discussions to activate the action plan we had in the case of the bad scenario. What happens in terms of the doctor is absolutely unacceptable and fundamental violation of international norms and regulations,” Zalkaliani said.
He stated that the government is in continuous communication with the family.
The Georgian State Security Service says that the illegal detention and the recent decision once again reveals the violation of fundamental human rights by the Russian-controlled de facto authorities and severe humanitarian situation on the ground.
Georgian PM’s Special Representative in Relations with Russia Zurab Abashidze has stated that the Georgian government will spare no efforts for the release of the doctor.
I cannot express what I feel now… Despite an unprecedented support of the international community and numerous appeals doctor Gaprindashvili still remains in illegal detention. The decision further worsens situation on the ground and deliberately hampers negotiations on peaceful resolution of conflicts,” Abashidze said.
The family says that they had expectations that the doctor would be released and stated that they want to meet with Georgian PM Giorgi Gakharia.
The family has urged the Georgian government and the international community to use all levers for the release of the doctor as "it is the case of dignity and we believe that the state will stand by us as earlier."
The United States remains ‘especially concerned’ by the ongoing detention of Doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili [by Russian controlled occupation forces], and echoes ‘calls from across the international community’ for his immediate release, the US Mission to the OSCE reports.
The court in Georgia’s Russian-controlled Tskhinvali region has sentenced a well-known Georgian doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili to one year and nine-months to prison for “deliberately crossing the border,” despite a large-scale local and international campaign for the release of the abducted doctor. The information has been released by head of Georgia’s Bar Association David Asatiani.
The family of well-known Georgian doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili, who was abducted by Russian-controlled occupation forces on November 9, says that the Georgian government has created a coordination council composed of top state officials to take all measures for the release of the doctor from occupied Tskhinvali prison.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has again called on the international community to “strengthen their efforts” to ensure “the immediate release” of Georgian doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili from Tskhinvali custody.
A number of foreign officials have denounced the Tskhinvali decision to sentence Georgian doctor Vazha Gaprindahsvili to one year and nine-months to prison for “deliberately crossing the border” between occupied Tskhinvali and the rest of Georgia in early November.
Ambassadors of the United Kingdom and Germany to Georgia, Justin McKenzie Smith and Hubert Knirsch have expressed hope that Georgian doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili, who has been sentenced to one year and nine months to prison in Tskhinvali, will be released soon.
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani and UN Under Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo have spoken about the abduction of well-known Georgian doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili and his illegal sentencing to prison by the Russian-controlled de facto Tskhinvali in a phone conversation, the Georgian Foreign Ministry reported earlier today.
De facto President of Georgia’s Russian-occupied Tskhinvali region Anatoly Bibilov says that the sentence of well-known Georgian doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili to one year and nine months in prison is “a fair punishment.”
Well-known Georgian doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili, who was sentenced to one year and nine months in Tskhinvali prison, was released today. The State Security Service of Georgia reported that he is now on Tbilisi-controlled territory now.
Georgian doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili, who was released from Tskhinvali prison today, thanked everyone for supporting him since his detention.