Demonstrators condemn Georgian man’s death in occupied region
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People gathered at the Freedom Square in the centre of Tbilisi today to condemn death of Georgian citizen Archil Tatunashvili in the Russian-occupied Tskhinvali region.
Demonstrators brought flowers and lit candles in memory of the 35-year-old, who died in the occupied region under unclear circumstances on February 23. However, the occupying force has not yet released his body.
A similar demonstration was held in the British capital of London last week when students demanded the return of Tatunashvili’s body to his family and that those responsible for his death be punished.
They also demanded the release of Levan Kutashvili and Ioseb Pavliashvili, Georgian nationals who were detained along with Tatunashvili on February 22 in Akhalgori, a territory currently controlled by Russians.
The two have since been released but cannot leave the occupied territory since their identification documents have been confiscated.
Residents of other Georgian cities, including Gori, Kutaisi and Poti, also took to the streets to demand justice. Photo from 1tv.ge
Hundreds of organisations expressed solidarity with the family and condemned Russia’s occupation of Tskhinvali.
The Government of Georgia has demanded "clear and comprehensive information” over Tatunashvili's death.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili has said Tatunashvili’s body will be buried in home soil.
Upon the request of Georgian Patriarch Ilia II Russian Patriarch Kirill has promised to mediate in the process of handing over Tatunashvili’s body to Tbilisi-administered territory in shortest period of time.
The United States, the European Union, many other countries and almost all international organisations have stated they are deeply concerned over the case and have urged Russia and the de-facto leadership to hand over the body and to not hinder a transparent investigation into the death.
Georgia’s prime minister has said the body of Georgian citizen Archil Tatunashvili, who died in the Russian-occupied Tskhinvali, will be buried on home soil. In a statement released Sunday, Giorgi Kvirikashvili said it was a tragedy that the family could not mourn the loss of their loved one.
The Georgian Parliament Speaker Irakli Kobakhidze has stated at a conference in Moldova that Russia’s open or silence consent to violation of human rights leads to deaths of Georgian citizens in the occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) of Georgia.
Georgian students living in London have gathered in front of the Russian Embassy to condemn the death of Georgian citizen Archil Tatunashvili in Georgia’s Russian occupied region of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia).
The Government of Georgia has demanded "clear and comprehensive information” on the death of Georgian citizen Archil Tatunashvili in the country’s occupied Tskhinvali region today.
The co-chairs of the Geneva International Discussions have expressed their concern over the death of Georgian citizen Archil Tatunashvili under unclear circumstances in Georgia’s Russian occupied region of Tskhinvali.
Thirteen days after Tatunashvili’s death, his body has not been handed over to his family for burial and two other Georgian citizens Levan Kutashvili and Ioseb Pavliashvili, detained with Tatunashvili on February 22, still remain in the occupied region.
The President of the European Council Donald Tusk has expressed his concern over the death of Georgian citizen Archil Tatunashvili and the detention of two others in Georgia’s Russian occupied region of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia).
The two Georgian citizens detained in Georgia’s Russian occupied region of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia), Levan Kutashvili and Ioseb Pavliashvili, have left Akhalgori, a territory currently controlled by Russia.Kutashvili and Pavliashvili were illegally detained on February 22 together with Archil Tatunashvili, who died in unclear circumstances on February 23.
EU Ambassador to Georgia Janos Herman has written on his official Twitter account that the Georgian PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili’s address to Russia to act jointly to resolve the complicated situation concerning Archil Tatunashvili’s death came at a challenging moment and argued for sensible steps.
The Foreign Ministry of the Russian Federation has responded to Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili’s recent appeal to act jointly to resolve the complicated situation concerning Georgian citizen Archil Tatunashvili’s death in occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia).
Twenty days have passed since the death of Georgian citizen, Archil Tatunashvili, in unclear circumstances in Georgia’s Russian occupied region of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia). His body has yet to be handed over to the Tatunashvili family for burial. Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili once again reiterated importance of the Geneva International Discussions to achieve real progress.
Georgian citizen Archil Tatunashvili, who died in unclear circumstances in occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region on February 23, will be buried in his village cemetery on Saturday.
Tatunashvili’s body was finally returned to his family 26 days after his death as the de-facto Tskhinvali administration had refused to hand it over before an autopsy.