OSCE PA President speaks about illegal occupation of Georgian regions in US

OSCE PA President Gigi Tsereteli spoke about the illegal occupation of the Russia-occupied Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) at the United States Helsinki Commission in Washington DC.

In Georgia we still have a grave situation, because of ongoing occupation, because of ongoing annexation, because of ongoing illegal borderisation”, Tsereteli said.

Tsereteli, who is also Georgian opposition European Georgia member, spoke about the sufferings of the local population on the ground. 

In particular, he said that the people, who are living along the occupation line connecting Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions with the rest of Georgia as well as the adjacent areas, are under “constant fear” and “a huge and grave discrimination”. 

It’s a very well known case of illegal imprisonment of a very famous doctor and I’m very much thankful to our partners and international community that was a very consolidated effort and he was released quite soon ... those are very vivid examples of what’s happening there”, Tsereteli said.

Calling on the international community to put pressure on Russia, Tsereteli underscored that “we have no right not to be active, not to be decisive”. 

The Helsinki Commission has released George Tsereteli's full testimony of February 5:

He therefore called on the US, the EU and other partners to include Georgian occupation in their further sanctions against Russia.