Five Georgians detained by Russian soldiers released
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Five out of 18 Georgian citizens being detained from the Sachkhere province for allegedly illegally crossing the border into de-facto South Ossetia have been released by the de-facto regime last night.
All of those captured by Russian border guards said they were charged with "illegal crossing of border" and fined with 100 GEL each (56 USD).
"We have been under psychological and physical pressure. All of us, five people were placed in one cell and [we] paid money in order to be free," one of released Irakli Zambakhidze stated.
Meanwhile 13 other Georgians remain in custody in South Ossetia.
They were detained by Russian soldiers while picking capers near their villages.
The Georgian locals, who have not been named, were picking capers in the rural outskirt of their villages when they were picked up by Russian soldiers. The border guards claimed the trio were "illegally crossing” the border and detained them.
Six Georgian citizens have been detained by Russian forces near the occupation line of so-called South Ossetia.
Conflict resolution experts have descended on the Georgian village of Ergneti to discuss issues that are plaguing the troubled region following the detention of Georgian citizens near the occupation line.
Ten Georgian citizens gathering capers near the occupation line have been detained by Russian border guards for allegedly trying to illegally cross the border into South Ossetia.
Seven more Georgian citizens from the Sachkhere province have been detained by Russian border guards at the occupation line for allegedly illegally crossing the border into de-facto South Ossetia.
In light of the unlawful detention of "jonjoli” pickers in the Sachkhere area, near the de-facto South Ossetian border, the European Union’s Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM) is calling on all parties to show consideration and understanding before any detention is made.
Seventeen Georgian citizens detained at the boundary line with de-facto South Ossetia have been released following a meeting with conflict resolution experts.
A Georgian citizen is facing more than a decade in jail after being convicted by a court in Georgia's breakaway region South Ossetia.