A Georgian citizen abducted from so-called Administrative Boundary line (ABL) between Georgia and one of its breakaway Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions has been released after paying fine for "illegal crossing of border.”
Lasha Glurjidze told the Georgian media that he faced a trial in Tskhinvali and was released only after his relatives paid fine worth of 2,000 rouble (66 GEL).
The judge told me that it was for the first time I ‘crossed the border’ and released me after paying the fine,” Glurjidze said.
Glurjidze was abducted by occupant forces on January 4 this year from the territory currently controlled by the Georgian side.
Glurjidze, who is a resident of Bershueti village within the eastern Gori region, was abducted when walking in a local church to light a candle.
At this time he was with his friend but the latter managed to escape.