PM: All tools, international support involved in freeing citizen arrested by occupation forces

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.