Two Georgians illegally detained close to occupied Lopani village
The European Union Monitoring Mission and other partners of Georgia have been informed of the illegal detention of Georgians. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
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Russian occupation forces have illegally detained two Georgian citizens close to the village of Lopani in Georgia’s Russian-occupied region of Tskhinvali.
The illegal detentions by the occupying regime represent destruction actions aimed to threaten the local population and seriously deteriorate the security environment on the ground”, the State Security Service of Georgia said.
It further noted that the central government of Georgia spares no efforts to ensure the release of every illegal detainee as soon as possible.
The State Security Service has meanwhile noted that the European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM) and other international partners have been informed and the hotline has been activated.
The Georgian State Security Service says that illegal detention of Georgian citizens by the Russian-controlled occupation forces for so-called ‘illegally crossing the border’ is a common issue since Russia-Georgia 2008.
One Georgian citizen has been detained, while another has been sent to illegal pretrial detention by the Russian-controlled de facto government of Tskhinvali, the Georgian State Security Service reports.
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.
The Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has dismissed Russian media reports claiming Belarus has started a procedure to recognise the independence of Georgia’s Russian-occupied regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia (Tskhinvali), calling them 'disinformation.'
Georgian Minister of Foreign Affairs David Zalkaliani has denounced the disrespect for the Georgian national flag in Russian state-owned TV program, expressing his concerns to the Swiss Ambassador to Russia Krystyna Marty Lang, who paid an official visit to Georgia. The program, which aired on Russian state-owned TV channel Russia-24 on November 9, showed the presenters standing on top of the Georgian national flag.
The Russian-controlled occupation forces have illegally arrested one Georgian citizen near de facto Tskhinvali, the Georgian State Security Service has confirmed.
Georgian citizen Malkhaz Janelidze who was illegally arrested by the Russian-controlled occupation forces on December 1 near the village of Vaneli in Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region was released late yesterday. Janelidze said following his release that he was travelling to Russia for work and treatment when he was detained.