President Zurabishvili awards family of brutally murdered Giga Otkhozoria with Medal for Civil Commitment

President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili has awarded the family of Giga Otkhozoria with the Medal for Civil Commitment today in Zugdidi, where she attended a Presidential Christmas Tree event with the children of the late Otkhozoria.

“I have handed the Civil Commitment Medal to the children of Giga Otkhozoria as a sign that the country does not forget its heroes. Commitment is what Georgia stands on,” President Zurabishvili said.

It has been more than two and a half years since Otkhozoria, who was 31 years old at the time, was killed.

He was trying to transport food into the breakaway region of Abkhazia for a funeral ceremony for his late aunt on May 19, 2016.

Locals said the border guards demanded Otkhozoria pay a fine in exchange for transporting the goods, which caused a dispute. They said Otkhozoria ran away from the border guards but was shot as he retreated.

Otkhozoria left behind a wife and two children. Photo: President's administration

The Russia-controlled Abkhazia region leadership continues to refuse to punish so-called border-guard Rashid Kanjiogli, who brutally killed Giga Otkhozoria with six gunshots on Tbilisi-controlled territory two years ago.

Zugdidi City Court sentenced Rashid Kanjiogli to 12 years imprisonment on December 26, 2016. The man still walks free in Abkhazia.