3 men detained at occupation line near Tskhinvali in 2 days

Three men have been detained by so-called border guards near Georgia's Russian-occupied region of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) in two days.

So-called border guards detained Abesalom Kokolashvili in the village of Avlevi in Kareli region while he was grazing his cattle.

Witnesses said, so-called border guards attacked the men unexpectedly.

Kokolashvili has allegedly been detained for "illegally crossing the border” and taken to Tskhinvali jail.

Two locals of the village of Tsitelubani in the municipality of Gori, Vasil Bolotaevi and Tengiz Kajirovi, were also detained while grazing their cows near the occupation line yesterday.

Based on the preliminary information, they were taken to the Ossetian controlled territory. However, the local government said no exact location of the detainees has yet been revealed.

• See also: Demonstration in conflict zone: Georgians protest Russian occupation

The illegal detention of Georgian citizens near the occupation line is a common issue, particularly in spring and summer when residents tend to grazing cattle or to pick jonjoli (a variety of capers), mushrooms and firewood.

It is not always obvious where the occupation line has been demarcated, because Russian occupation forces keep changing the so-called borders. This process is informally referred to as "creeping occupation”.