Georgian father and son kidnapped by border guards near occupied Tskhinvali

A Georgian father and son have been kidnapped by occupant forces of the de facto Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region for allegedly crossing the so-called border between Georgia and its breakaway territory.

Russian border guards and representatives of the de facto Tskhinvali region kidnapped 61-year-old Ivane Elikashvili and his 31-year-old son Giorgi Elikashvili yesterday. 

The pair were snatched off Georgian territory while herding their cattle in Kere village, located on the Georgian side of the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) that separates Georgia from the breakaway Tskhinvali area. 

The elder Elikashvili contacted the family last night and confirmed he and his son had been detained.

Now it is expected the family must pay a fine for the two men’s release.

Two days ago occupying forces detained 60-year-old local farmer Amiran Durglishvili at the ABL when the man was herding his cattle. He has not been released yet. 

Official figures released by local non-governmental organisation Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) revealed more than 2,000 Georgian citizens have been detained by Russian border guards in the past six years.

Between 2009 and 2015 the agency said 2,117 Georgian citizens had been kidnapped at ABL’s near Georgia’s occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) and Abkhazia regions. The data, based on statistics provided by Georgia’s Interior Ministry, claimed every single detainee had been charged with illegally crossing the so-called border.

IDFI said 1,416 people had been detained at the ABL with Abkhazia while 701 were detained at the Tskhinvali ABL.