Russia is continuing its creeping occupation policy and violating the rights of Georgian citizens living near the breakaway zone.
Today Russian soldiers together with de facto Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) representatives detained three Georgian citizens who were grazing their cattle in Sakorintlo village, eastern Kaspi region, near the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) with breakaway Tskhinvali (South Ossetia).
Village residents Giorgi Oghadze, Nikoloz Oghadze and Akaki Tvaliashvili were grazing their herd on Georgian-controlled territory but were unlawfully kidnapped today. The area was commonly used by locals for agricultural and cattle breeding purposes, said locals.
It is understood the men were taken to a detention centre in Tskhinvali. Like previous cases, the families of the men will be forced to pay a fine in exchange for the return of their loved ones.
In September Russian border guards detained several Georgians living near the ABL and later released them after their families paid a fine. The victims were charged with ‘illegally crossing the border’.
In this case the families of each detainee were forced to pay 2,000 Russian Ruble, nearly 80 GEL, for their release.
Official figures released by local non-governmental organiation Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) revealed more than 2,000 Georgian citizens had detained by Russian border guards in the past six years.