PM Garibashvili says gov’t spares no efforts to release Zaza Gakeladze from occupied Tskhinvali jail
The central government of Georgia continues to work in order to achieve the unconditional release of Zaza Gakheladze. Courtesy photo
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Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili who met with the family of Zaza Gakheladze, a Georgian citizen illegally detained and sentenced by the Russia-backed occupying forces in Tskhinvali, said the government spares no efforts to release him as soon as possible.
PM Garibashvili told the family that the issue of Gakheladze’s release has been raised on the high political level and is being actively discussed with the international partners of Georgia.
Earlier in April the father, wife and daughters of Zaza Gakheladze visited him in occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) jail with the support of International Committee of the Red Cross. Photo: PM's press office
Reiterating his support to the Gakheladze family Irakli Garibashvili said Zaza’s release from the illegal detention is one of the state’s key priorities.
Zaza Gakheladze was shot and arrested near the occupation line dividing the Tskhinvali region from the rest of Georgia last summer.
Earlier this year he was sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison by the de facto Supreme Court for ‘illegally crossing the border and attempted murder’, which he denies.
Illegally detained Georgian citizens are mostly released after their families pay a fine. However, there have been several cases of Georgian citizens dying while in detention. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
The international community has strongly condemned the detention and sentencing of Gakheladze, calling for his immediate release.
The Georgian State Security Service says illegal detention of Georgian citizens by the Russian-controlled occupation forces for so-called ‘illegally crossing the border’ is a common issue since 2008 when Russia recognised the Georgian regions of Tskhinvali and Abkhazia as independent states.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has met with the Head of the EU Delegation Carl Hartzell and US Ambassador Kelly Degnan requesting support to secure the release of Georgian citizen Zaza Gakheladze who has been recently sentenced in occupied Tskhinvali.
Georgian citizen Zaza Gakheladze, who was shot and illegally detained by Russian-controlled occupation forces in the summer of 2020, has been sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison by the de facto Supreme Court of the Russian-occupied Tskhinvali region.
A Georgian man detained by occupation forces near the Russia-occupied Georgian region of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) in July has sent a letter to his family via the International Committee of the Red Cross earlier today.
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.
Georgian citizen Alan Japaridze has been released from the Russian-occupied Tskhinvali prison after a four-month detention. Japaridze, who received a one-year conditional sentence by the de facto Supreme Court, was handed over to the Georgian authorities at the Ergneti village near the occupied Tskhinvali yesterday.