Georgian citizen illegally detained by occupation forces released

Georgian citizen Vladimer Kaniashvili, who was illegally detained by Russian occupation forces near the occupied region of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia), was released on Tuesday, the State Security Service said.

The state agency said Kaniashvili, who had been illegally arrested near the village of Tsinagara on December 9, was freed following an “active use” of the hotline mechanism used in incidents along the administrative boundary line separating the occupied regions from Georgian-controlled territory.

The Georgian Government has raised the question of release of other illegally detained citizens using the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism and the Geneva International Discussions, the two platforms used for talks between Georgian agencies and de facto authorities in the occupied regions, the Service added.

“The central Government of Georgia is using all available mechanisms for the immediate release of other  Georgian citizens illegally arrested by Russian occupation forces,” the SSS said, adding the occupation regime bore “full responsibility” for the “destructive actions” carried out in the regions and along the administrative line.

Illegal detention of Georgian citizens by the Russian-controlled occupation forces for “illegally crossing the border” has become a practice along the administrative boundary since the Russia-Georgia war of 2008 and the subsequent occupation of the Tskhinvali and Abkhazia regions.