DRI NGO: ‘seven illegally arrested Georgian citizens remain in de facto Tskhinvali prison’
The Democracy Research Institute calls on the Georgian authorities to take immediate measures to clarify the legal status of Georgian citizens arrested in Tskhinvali and to provide comprehensive information to the public. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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Seven illegally arrested Georgian citizens remain in de facto Tskhinvali prison, the Democracy Research Institute NGO reports.
The DRI reports that the arrest of Georgian citizens on charges of ‘illegal border crossing’ without any legal basis has become more frequent as a consequence of active ‘borderisation’. The Georgian authorities do not have a clear public position on the issue.
The Georgia government fails to provide adequate protection and security to the population living along the occupation line”, the DRI says.
Russian occupation forces arrested three individuals on October 5 and another two on December 10. The identities of the five individuals have not been made public, and their current status is unknown.
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Occupation forces abducted former soldier Mamuka Chkhikvadze from the village of Nikozi on December 12, 2021.
The DRI says that, according to unofficial information, Chkhikvadze was beaten.
Mamuka Janelidze, who was arrested on December 1 and released on December 4 pointed to physical violence by the guards.
Gela Gochoshvili was arrested for ‘crossing the border’ on August 14, 2021. His family lives in the Kaspi district and he has other family members in Russia-occupied Akhalgori.
Gochoshvili’s arrest became known to Georgian high officials late September.
The DRI says that Gochoshvili is charged with other criminal offences besides crossing the border. Information about his health is still unknown.
The lack of information and passivity at the international level on the basis of the number of arrests by the Georgian authorities carries with it the risk that the fundamental rights of the arrested individuals are likely to be violated and their lives and health are in danger”, says DRI.
The DRI calls on the Georgian authorities to take immediate measures to clarify the legal status of Georgian citizens arrested in Tskhinvali and to provide comprehensive information to the public.