Intl community welcomes release of illegally detained Zaza Gakheladze from occupied Tskhinvali prison
Gakheladze, who was shot and illegally detained by Russian-controlled occupation forces in the summer of 2020, was later sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison. Photo: Irakli Garibashvili's Facebook page
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The international community has welcomed the release of Georgian citizen Zaza Gakheladze after more than a year of illegal detention in Georgia’s Russian-occupied region of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia).
Gakheladze, who was shot and illegally detained by Russian-controlled occupation forces in the summer 2020 and sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison, was ‘pardoned’ by the de facto president of Tskhinvali yesterday.
Marina Kaljurand, leading member of the European Parliament has tweeted:
I welcome the liberation of Zaza Gakheladze & commend @EUMMGeorgia for facilitating his release. IPRM meetings & discussions are of utmost importance. The rampant ‘borderisation’ process & the illegal kidnappings & detentions of ???????? citizens in the vicinity of the ABL must stop! https://t.co/XVQ6cqje6v
— Marina Kaljurand MEP (@MarinaKaljurand) July 15, 2021
EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia Toivo Klaar has also welcomed the news that Zaza Gakheladze is free again.
Welcome news that Zaza Gakheladze is free again.
— Toivo Klaar (@ToivoKlaar) July 14, 2021
European Union Ambassador Carl Hartzell has meanwhile tweeted that 'Illegal detentions are inadmissible'.
Good to see Zaza Gakheladze returning to his family today. Illegal detentions are inadmissible. Glad that the EU via @EUMMGeorgia contributed to this positive outcome, through the Hotline and IPRM meetings. https://t.co/g7ySpq4MNl
— Carl Hartzell (@CarlHartzellEU) July 15, 2021
Georgian Patriarch Ilia II appealed to the Russian Patriarch Kirill earlier in June to mediate for Gakheladze’s release with the de fato Tskhinvali leadership.
Georgian officials and clergy, including Prime Minister rakli Garibashvili, went to the village of Ergneti close to occupied Tskhinvali to welcome Zaza Gakheladze. Photo: Irakli Garibashvili's Facebook page
Local Tskhinvali media reports that Gakheladze was pardoned in exchange of “a South Ossetian citizen” V. Gobozov.
The unconditional release of Georgian citizens illegally detained by occupation forces was also in the focus of the recent meeting of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM).