Int’l community ‘strongly condemns’ Zaza Gakheladze’s detention, demand his ‘immediate release’
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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.
Gakheladze, who was shot and illegally detained by Russian-controlled occupation forces last year, was sentenced to 12 years and six months on Friday.
The Estonian Foreign Ministry has tweeted:
Estonia???????? strongly condemns the decision of the occupation regime in Tskhinvali to extend the illegal detention of #GE ????????citizen Zaza Gakheladze by 12+ years. According to 21 Jan #ECHR judgement, #Russia bears responsibility for grave #humanrights violations. pic.twitter.com/65V3KHNu2x
— Estonian MFA ???????? (@MFAestonia) February 5, 2021
The Georgian Foreign Ministry has called on the international community to ‘take genuine steps’ to secure the release of Gakheladze.
The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry has also tweeted:
???????? MFA strongly condemns sentencing of #Georgia's citizen Zaza Gakheladze by so-called court of Russian controlled South Ossetia. This is in clear breach of 2008 ceasefire agreement and #ECHRjudgment of 21 Jan 2021. ???????? remains committed to ???????? sovereignty & territorial integrity. https://t.co/pBMlamVNiF
— Lithuania MFA (@LithuaniaMFA) February 6, 2021
Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations Sergiy Kyslytsya has also denounced 'shameless actions of the Russian occupation forces'.
Shameless actions of the Russian occupation forces should be duly rebuked by the @UN_HRC and @mbachelet or impunity will persevere indefinitely amid international complacency. Our solidarity with @kahaimnadze and his team in NY https://t.co/hROm9TRzQY
— Sergiy Kyslytsya (@SergiyKyslytsya) February 6, 2021
The World Chairman of the International Human Rights Commission, Ambassador Dr. Muhammad Shahid Amin Khan, has also joined the appeal to immediate release the Georgian citizen.
International Human Rights Commission #IHRC as intergovernmental organization also joining the appeal to immediate release of Zaza #Gakheladze and asking international community to act faster to stop Russian aggression on people freedoms.
— Ambassador Dr. Muhammad Shahid Amin Khan (@DrMShahidAKhan) February 5, 2021
Yesterday Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia requested support the Head of the European Union Delegation Carl Hartzell and United States Ambassador Kelly Degnan to secure Gakheladze's 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.