Georgian president, UN High Commissioner discuss human rights, occupied regions
Georgian President and UN High Commissioner have met earlier today. Photo: Georgian president's press office.
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Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, who is paying an official visit in Geneva, has met with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet.
During the meeting earlier today, Zurabishvili addressed human rights violation cases in Georgia’s Russian-occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali, including the unlawful arrests of Georgian citizens: Irakli Bebua, Genadi Bestayev and Gela Gochoshvili.
The president also touched on a ban of education in the Georgian language in the occupied Gali district (de facto Abkhazia) as a sign of ethnic discrimination.
The officials also discussed the 2021 local self-government elections and political polarisation in Georgia. Zurabishvili noted that women’s engagement in the elections was ‘insufficient.
Good to meet once again with High Commissioner @mbachelet, albeit to discuss unfortunate and crucial topics, including the dire humanitarian situation in the occupied territories and the clear lack of women in Georgian politics. pic.twitter.com/J4G76LmE7m
— Salome Zourabichvili (@Zourabichvili_S) October 14, 2021
Bachelet expressed her sorrow over the collapse of a residential building in the Georgian seaside city of Batumi, and offered her condolences to the Georgian people.
Prior to her meeting in Geneva, Zurabishvili paid a historic visit to Austria, being the first Georgian president to visit the country in an official capacity for the first time in 100 years.