Georgian civic activist illegally detained in Russian-occupied region released

Georgian civic activist Tamara Mearakishvili who was illegally detained in Akhalgori near the Russian occupied region of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia), has been released early this morning.

Georgian media reported that Mearakishvili was released after she was asked questions about allegedly slandering a member of the de-facto South Ossetian leader’s party at the Akhalgori police station last evening.

Mearakishvili did not answer questions without her lawyer’s presence.

She was released this morning but she has now been summoned to the Akhalgori "prosecutor’s office” for further questioning, Tbilisi-based Netgazeti said. Currently, she is at the office being questioned.

In parallel to her illegal detention yesterday, her house in Akhalgori was searched by "police officers” from the occupied region. They took her personal computer, phone, documents and other items.

The European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia used its hotline to find out details of her detention and negotiate with de-facto authorities about her release.

Georgia’s Public Defender Ucha Nanuashvili said that Mearakishvili’s detention was an attempt to make her move out of Akhagori.

Mearakishvili has been active on social networks and is known for her criticism towards de-facto authorities. She is a freelance reporter, covering illegal developments in Akhalgori and the occupied region. The Public Defender said that the she has been under pressure during the last several years and was even kidnapped to Tskhinvali earlier this July.

Georgian Energy Minister Ilia Eloshvili said today that the Georgian government is doing its best to protect Mearakishvili’s safety and ensure that nothing prevents her from carrying out her activist and journalistic work.