Georgia calls on int’l community to take ‘genuine steps’ to secure release of Georgian citizen illegally convicted by occupants
The Gerorgian Foreign Ministry says that Russia is responsible for the illegal decision against the Georgian citizen who was shot and illegally detained last year. Photo: Foreign Ministry press office.
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The Georgian Foreign Ministry has called on the international community to ‘take genuine steps’ to secure the release of Georgian citizen Zaza Gakheladze, who was shot and illegally detained by the Russian controlled occupation forces last year and sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison earlier today.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry says that the verdict is a part of Russia’s plan to spark destabilisation in the country.
Russia is engaged in destructive activities despite its statements on dialogue and cooperation with Georgia,” said the Foreign Ministry.
The ministry said that the illegal decision against Gakheladze is ‘particularly alarming’ following the recent judgement of the European Court of Human Rights in the Russia-Georgia 2008 war case in which the court said that Russia exercises effective control on Georgia’s occupied Tskhinvali and Abkhazia regions and is responsible for the human rights violations there.
Zaza Gakheladze was shot and illegally detained in the summer of 2020. Photo: Gakheladze's Facebook page.
The ministry says that illegal decisions like this and Russia’s annexation activities further aggravate the security and humanitarian situation on the ground and ‘deliberately hinder’ peace talks.
The ministry called on Russia to fulfill the August 12, 2008 ceasefire agreement with Georgia and withdraw its forces from the Georgian territory.
De facto Supreme Court of Tskhinvali found Gakheladze guilty of ‘illegally crossing the border and attempted murder’ earlier today.
Gakheladze was shot and then illegally detained by Russia-controlled occupation forces near the occupation line with Tskhinvali, on the Tbilisi-controlled territory in July 2020.
The de facto government of Tskhinvali says that Gakheladze crossed the ‘state border’ and then opened fire on ‘border guards.’
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.
Russian occupation forces have illegally detained three citizens of Georgia near the village of Khurcha in Zugdidi Municipality, on territory controlled by the central government of Georgia, on January 18 at about 20:30, announces the State Security Service of Georgia. The State Security Service of Georgia has activated the hotline and demanded the immediate release of the illegally detained individuals.
After six months of pre-trial detention, the so-called trial of illegally detained Zaza Gakheladze was held today in Russia-occupied Tskhinvali region. RFE/RL reports that several witnesses and Gakheladze were questioned at the hearing.
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.
The European Union calls for the immediate release of Georgian citizen Zaza Gakheladze, who was sentenced to 12 years and six months in the Russian-occupied Tskhinvali region yesterday. The United States Embassy also expresses solidarity with Zaza Gakheladze and his family, and all families ‘who have had to endure Russia’s oppressive occupation’.
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.
The international community condemns the sentencing of Georgian citizen Zaza Gakheladze in the Russian-occupied Georgian region of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia), calling for his immediate release. Meanwhile a protest rally was held today held along the occupation line with the participants calling on the Georgian government to make more efficient steps aimed to ensure immediate release of the illegal detainee.
The de facto security agency of Georgia’s Russian-occupied Tskhinvali region says that they have detected a US surveillance aircraft Global Hawk RQ-4B near ‘their border.’
The de facto Foreign Ministry of Georgia’s Russian-occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region has accused Tbilisi and the international community of interfering ‘in its internal issues’ for condemning the recent illegal conviction of Georgian citizen Zaza Gakheladze by occupation forces.
The spokesperson of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry Oleg Nikolenko stated yesterday that the illegal decision to sentence Zaza Gakheladze to 12 years and six months in the Russian-occupied Georgian region of Tskhinvali ‘grossly violates’ the norms and principles of international law and Russia’s obligations under the 2008 ceasefire agreement.
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 de facto authorities of Georgia’s Russian-occupied Tskhinvali region say that they detained 38 individuals last month for ‘illegally crossing the border’, while the figure stood at 19 in July. The de facto authorities stated that 22 of the 38 individuals were fined, while others were able to leave Tskhinvali territory without paying a fine.