Georgians rally at Russian embassy in Rome demanding release of abducted doctor
Georgians are rallying in Rome, demanding the release of illegally detained Georgian doctor by occupation forces. Photo: Lasha Meskhi.
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Georgians living in Italy gathered in front of the Russian embassy in Rome yesterday, demanding the immediate release of a well-known Georgian traumatologist Vazha Gaprindashvili, who was abducted by Russian-controlled occupation forces 21 days ago.
The demonstrators held posters in different languages with pictures of the doctor, singing the national anthem of Georgia.
The Georgian parish in Rome has released the video depicting the rally.
The Red Cross personnel, who have visited Gaprindashvili in Tskhinvali prison yesterday for the second time this month, says that he “feels normal.”
Russian former Deputy FM Gregory Karasin, who met with the Georgian PM’s Special Representative in Relations with Russia Zurab Abashidze in Prague yesterday said that Gaprindashvili’s issue “is likely to be settled soon.”
On November 22 Amnesty International demanded the release of the doctor who was sentenced to two-month illegal, pretrial detention in the Tskhinvali region on November 15 “for deliberately crossing the border.”
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has stated that government agencies are working in a 24-hour regime to achieve the release of doctor Gaprindashvili.
The Russian-controlled de facto Tskhinvali says that the doctor did not admit that he "crossed the border, as he believes there is no border between South Ossetia (Tskhinvali) and Georgia and that the region is occupied by Russia." Photo: Firefly World.
Georgian FM David Zalkaliani has already raised the issue with High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, acting chair of OSCE Miroslav Lajcak, Deputy Secretary General of UN Rosemary DiCarlo and Deputy Secretary General of NATO Mircea Geoana, the Georgian Foreign Ministry reported yesterday.
A number of officials and organisations, including President Salome Zurabishvili, the United States Embassy to Georgia, the US mission to OSCE have expressed their support to Gaprindashvili.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry said on November 16 that they are doing their best to ensure the safe return of the doctor.
Former Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin said after meeting with Georgian PM’s special representative for relations with Russia Zurab Abashidze in Prague on Thursday that he hopes Georgian doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili will be released from the Tskhinvali custody soon.
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani says that he is starting every meeting inside and outside the country by raising the topic of Vazha Gaprindashvili, a well-known Georgian doctor who was abducted by Russian-controlled occupation forces 19 days ago.
Indian students in Georgia have rallied to demand the immediate release of well-known Georgian doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili, who was abducted by Russian-controlled occupation forces on November 9.
The de facto security committee of Georgia’s Russian-occupied Tskhinvali region says that famous Georgian doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili, who was abducted by occupation forces on November 9, “deliberately crossed the border and the step was well-planned.”The de facto agency reports that during the interrogation Gaprindashvili said that he “deliberately crossed the border as he was going to the church in the village of Monastery.”
Georgian national ballet Sukhishvilebi has demanded the immediate release of a well-known Georgian doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili, who has been in illegal detention by Russian-controlled occupation forces in occupied Tskhinvali for 27 days, requesting help from colleagues around the world to spread the protest.
One month has expired since the abduction of well-known Georgian doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili by Russian-controlled occupation forces.
The EuroNest Parliamentary Assembly, which is composed of110 parliamentarians from around the globe, has demanded the immediate release of a well-known Georgian doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili, abducted by Russian-controlled occupation forces one month ago.