Russian guards illegally detain same man for third time near occupation line

Russian "border guards” patrolling the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) between the occupied region of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) and the rest of Georgia have illegally detained a Georgian man for the third time for allegedly crossing the so-called "border”.

42-year-old Kakhaber Kisishvili was detained near the village of Plavismani in the municipality of Gori in the Shida Kartli region.

Locals said this is the third time Kisishvili has been detained by Russian guards for allegedly crossing the occupation line.

He was last detained and taken to a Tskhinvali detention centre in February. He was released after his family paid 2,000 Russian rubles (about $35 USD or €32) as a fine.

This time Kisishvili’s mother says the family no longer has the financial resources to pay the fine.

The infographic by Agenda.ge shows the number of detentions of Georgian citizens by Russian guards over the eight-year period since 2010. 

The illegal detention of Georgian citizens by Russian guards is a common issue near the ABL. Detainees are usually released once their family pays a fine.

Official data says 915 people have been illegally detained for allegedly crossing the ABL since 2010.