UK gov’t report: Russian interference further deteriorated human rights in occupied territories of Georgia
The report also states that the UK continued to defend democracy in Georgia through support to electoral processes, which implies the funding of three long-term observers to parliamentary elections in November. Photo: bm.ge.
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Russian interference further deteriorated the human rights situation in occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region (South Ossetia), ‘with reports from local media of torture and ethnic discrimination,’ the report on Human Rights and Democracy 2020 of the United Kingdom (UK) says.
Enhanced restrictions on freedom of movement through the closure of crossing points prevented residents from accessing healthcare during the pandemic. The UK supported resolutions on internally displaced persons at the UN General Assembly and at the UN Human Rights Council, requesting access for the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights,” the report states.
The Ambassador of Georgia to the UK Sophie Katsarava tweeted:
???????? @FCDOGovUK Human Rights&Democracy report 2020 highlighted grave #HumanRights situation in #Russia occupied territories of #Georgia #Abkhazia & #SouthOssetia/Tskhinvali regions. We appreciate UK’s support!@tariqahmadbt@DZalkaliani@MFAgovge@agenda_gehttps://t.co/SkyORI5zUD
— Sophie Katsarava MBE (@SophieKatsarava) July 8, 2021
The Human Rights and Democracy Report 2020 says that in March, Georgia’s breakaway region of Abkhazia re-introduced the death penalty as an “exceptional measure of punishment” for drug trafficking.
Nonetheless, the 2007 moratorium remains in force and any death sentence is expected to be commuted to life imprisonment,” reported in the document.
The UK Government raised human rights violations in non-government controlled regions of Georgia Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region (South Ossetia) and supported resolutions on the human rights situations.
The report also states that the UK continued to defend democracy in Georgia through support to electoral processes, which implies the funding of three long-term observers to parliamentary elections in November.
A joint landmark declaration on foreign and security policy cooperation between the United Kingdom (UK) and Germany supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia and the full implementation of the 2008 ceasefire agreement.
The Georgian government has established a commission to create a Georgian State Strategy for Deoccupation and Peaceful Conflict Resolution. The commission will be managed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The commission will be set up with public involvement, and will develop an inclusive and comprehensive state strategy by the end of the year.
“Georgia’s relationship with the alliance contains all the practical tools to prepare for eventual membership. We are working closely with Georgia on security in the Black Sea region, in response to Russia’s increasingly destabilising activities, and welcome the steps taken to implement the refreshed Substantial NATO-Georgia Package. We stand ready to enhance our support to Georgia, including in building resilience against hybrid threats, in training and exercises, and in secure communications. We look forward to the next NATO-Georgia exercise in 2022,” said the communique.
US and Italian ambassadors and OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid have visited the village of Tsitsagiaantkari earlier today near the Russian-controlled Tskhinvali region of Georgia, where they attended the opening ceremony of a drinking water reservoir for locals and met the family of Zaza Gakhekadze, a Georgian citizen who has been illegally sentenced to 12 years in prison by de facto Tskhinvali.
The unconditional release of Georgian citizens illegally detained by occupation forces has been at the top of the agenda of the 101st meeting of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM), which was held today in Ergneti, close to the Russian occupied region of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia). The issue of releasing Zaza Gakheladze and Genadi Bestaev, who are illegally detained in a prison in Tskhinvali, was discussed at the meeting.
Zaza Gakheladze, an illegally detained Georgian citizen who was ‘pardoned’ by the de facto president of the Russian-occupied Georgian region of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia), says he did not expect to be released today.