Tatunashvili laid to rest, posthumously awarded Order of Honour
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Georgian soldier Archil Tatunashvili, who died in unclear circumstances in occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region a month ago, has been laid to rest with the military honours today.
Hundreds of mourners including the president, government and parliament officials attended the funeral of Tatunashvili this morning.
President Giorgi Margvelashvili posthumously awarded Tatunashvili the Order of Honour.
Today we have buried our honourable compatriot Archil Tatunashvili. At the same time we have seen the real face of the occupant, which is a kidnapper and torturer”, President Margvelashvili said.
Margvelashvili also said that the refusal to transfer Tatunashvili’s body to Tbilisi-administered territory for such a long time after his murder has been an even greater evil.
Junior Sergeant Tatunashvili, who had served at the Georgian armed forces in 2007-2011, was buried at the Mukhatgverdi Cemetery in Tbilisi. Photo from 1tv.ge
- Tatunashvili and two other Georgian citizens were detained in the occupied Akhalgori area by Russia-controlled border guards on February 22, while Tatunashvili was reported dead the next day.
- Tatunashvili’s body was only returned to his family 26 days after his death as de-facto Tskhinvali administration refused to hand over the body to his family until a "comprehensive autopsy".
- According to the results of the Russian autopsy, Tatunashvili died of acute heart failure caused by myocardial ischemia. However, a Georgian investigation is now underway to reveal the exact reason behind death, as the man had some injuries on his hands and face.
The funeral of Georgian citizen Archil Tatunashvili, who died in unclear circumstances in occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region a month ago are still underway in his village of Tsilkani in eastern Georgia.
The parliament of Georgia has adopted a joint resolution on the case of Georgian citizen Archil Tatunashvili, who was reported dead in unclear circumstances in occupied Tskhinvali on 23 February. The resolution condemns Russia’s actions in the occupied territories of Georgia, makes a series of demands on Russia and envisages the creation of a sanctions list of individuals who have violated the rights of Georgian citizens in the occupied regions of Georgia.
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.
The body of the 35-year-old Georgian soldier, Archil Tatunashvili, who died in unclear circumstances in the occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region on February 23, has been handed over to representatives of the government of Georgia several minutes ago, 26 days after his death.
"I think the more time that passes, the more everyone will realize what a great hero Archil Tatunashvili is”, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili said at today’s government session.
A lawyer from NGO Human Rights Centre has told the media that Archil Tatunashvili, a Georgian citizen killed by Russian-controlled border guards in February, was returned to his family with his bodily organs missing.
The body of the 35-year-old Tatunashvili, who died in unclear circumstances in the occupied Tskhinvali region on February 22, 2018 was delivered to the Tbilisi-administered territory 26 days later, with his internal organs removed.
Today Georgia marks the birthday of national hero Archil Tatunashvili, a former soldier, who was tortured and killed by the Russian-controlled occupation forces back in 2018 in the country’s occupied Tskhinvali region. Tatunashvili would have turned 38 today. The body of 35-year-old Tatunashvili was handed over to Tbilisi 26 days after his death with more than 100 injuries.