PM: All tools, international support involved in freeing citizen arrested by occupation forces
European Union Monitoring Mission was contacted about the incident of July 11 through its hotline. Photo: EUMM Georgia on Flickr.
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All tools of the Georgian government as well as its international partners are involved in efforts to return the citizen shot and arrested by occupation forces last week, prime minister Giorgi Gakharia told local media on Saturday.
Gakharia told reporters "all instruments have been activated" to ensure "safe return home" of Zaza Gakheladze, 33, reportedly taken to the city of Tskhinvali in central Georgia, under occupation forces' control.
We had a similar case a short time ago [and] this is also a matter which, in some cases, requires care to ensure the process is not disturbed."
The principal responsibility for us is our citizen [and] his safe return home, therefore all instruments have been activated," the PM said.
Gakheladze was reportedly shot by forces occupying the Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region, as he was nearby the administrative boundary line separating the region from the Georgian-controlled territory on July 11.
Arrested and first taken to the town of Akhalgori, Gakheladze was later reported to have been moved to Tskhinvali, the central city of the occupied region.
The US Department of State, the United Nations Development Programme and the European Union Monitoring Mission for Tskhinvali have all responded to the incident, expressing alarm and condemning the shooting and arrest of the citizen.
The Georgian man wounded and arrested by occupation forces near the Kvemo Tchala village in central Georgia on Saturday has been reportedly moved from the town of Akhalgori to the occupied Tskhinvali.
The US Department of States has strongly condemned the shooting and illegal detention of Georgian citizen Zaza Gakheladze, 33, by the Russian-controlled occupation forces on July 11.
The US and UNDP representation to Georgia say that they are ‘concerned and alarmed’ by the shooting and illegal detention of Georgian citizen Zaza Gakheladze, 33, by the Russian-controlled occupation forces on July 11.
A European Union Monitoring Mission release on Sunday confirmed "extensive use" of the mission's hotline regarding the detention and alleged shooting of a Georgian citizen by de-facto authorities of the occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region on Saturday.
The citizen arrested by occupation forces in central Georgia on July 3 has received preliminary detention, extending the unlawful restriction of his freedom, the State Security Service of Georgia has confirmed.
A Georgian citizen arrested earlier this month has been moved from quarantine to detention by de-facto authorities in the occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region in central Georgia.
The Directorate of Trust Fund for Victims (TFV) of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has started a three-year programme with a budget of €600,000 to support victims of the Georgian-Russian war which took place in August 2008, announced Acting Minister of Justice and a member of the TFV directorate Gocha Lortkipanidze.
After six months of pre-trial detention, the so-called trial of illegally detained Zaza Gakheladze was held today in Russia-occupied Tskhinvali region. RFE/RL reports that several witnesses and Gakheladze were questioned at the hearing.
Russian occupation forces have illegally detained three citizens of Georgia near the village of Khurcha in Zugdidi Municipality, on territory controlled by the central government of Georgia, on January 18 at about 20:30, announces the State Security Service of Georgia. The State Security Service of Georgia has activated the hotline and demanded the immediate release of the illegally detained individuals.